NORTHERN IRELAND

Human: Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the First Minister of Northern Ireland on levels of cross-border human trafficking.

Hugo Swire: Human trafficking issues relating to Northern Ireland are now the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Justice Minister, Mr David Ford, and his Department who work directly with the Home Office on such matters.
	The Secretary of State and I meet regularly with the Northern Ireland Justice Minister to discuss as necessary matters relating to security in Northern Ireland.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Nottinghamshire

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much Arts Council England spent in Sherwood constituency per head of population in the latest period for which figures are available.

Edward Vaizey: Arts Council England estimates spend at £0.19 per head in the Sherwood constituency, from £16,800 in grants for the arts awards in 2009-10.
	Additionally, a number of organisations funded by the Arts Council tour their work in the constituency, though their funding is not represented in this figure.

BBC: Radio

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the BBC Trust on the future of BBC local radio.

Edward Vaizey: No recent discussions have been held with the BBC Trust on the future of BBC local radio.

Betfair

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has made an assessment of the potential effects on the horseracing industry of the decision by Betfair to relocate offshore.

John Penrose: While we recognise that this is a commercial decision for Betfair, we are disappointed that it has moved its betting exchange for British customers offshore. However, Betfair has stated that it intends to make voluntary payments to British horseracing equivalent to those it would be required to make through the statutory Horserace Betting Levy for the 49(th) and 50(th) Levy Schemes. Looking ahead, I continue to speak to key stakeholders about the future of the Levy and the issues raised in the Department's consultation on remote gambling, and hope to make an announcement shortly.

Broadband: Local Authorities

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will estimate the number of local authorities in England which will tender for the provision of high-speed broadband services in each year to 2015.

Edward Vaizey: Responsibility for the timing of tenders to be issued by local authorities is a matter for them. Guidance on the content of local broadband plans to form the basis of a submission to Broadband Delivery UK was issued on 7 March 2011.

Departmental Broadband

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department has allocated for high-speed broadband provision in each year to 2015.

Edward Vaizey: No specific allocation has been made, but a total of £530 million was allocated in the spending review to support superfast broadband roll-out up to 2015. Allocations will depend on the procurements in a given year.

Departmental Estate

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will take steps to reduce the size of his Department's estate; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) leases space in four buildings; two of which have been fully sublet for the remainder of their leases.
	Hotdesking has been introduced at the Department's main building, 2-4 Cockspur street, enabling the vacation of two floors. Negotiations with two new tenants are nearing completion and they are expected to take occupation of the space in July 2011. The occupancy level of 2-4 Cockspur street was 13.4 sq m per full-time equivalent (FTE) during 2009-10; this has subsequently been reduced to approximately 11 sq m per FTE.
	DCMS will continue to review the size of its estate and make space available for subletting as staff numbers decrease. A full review of the estate will take place following the 2012 Olympics.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have responsibility for the Government Property Unit and their response to this question was published on 14 March 2011,  Official Report, column 150W.

Departmental Food

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will estimate the proportion of the seafood procured for  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible that (i) was on the Marine Conservation Society's list of fish to avoid and (ii) complied with sustainability standards indicated by inclusion in either the Marine Conservation Society's list of fish to eat or by the list of fish species certified by the Marine Stewardship Council in (A) 2010 and (B) 2011 to date.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not procure any seafood. It's agency, the Royal Parks procures 3000 kilos per annum of whiting to feed the pelicans in their parks. The whiting is sourced from a supplier based in Poole, Dorset, and is caught in a mixed trawl fishery using small day boat trawlers. Whiting is not on the Marine Conservation Society's list of fish to avoid.
	The Department does not collate this information for its arm's length bodies.

Employment

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will work with representatives of the creative industries to produce a joint action plan for jobs and growth in that sector by the end of 2011.

Jeremy Hunt: The Government's strategy for growth, including measures to remove barriers to growth for the digital and creative industries, developed in consultation with industry, will be published to a Budget 2011 timetable.

HEALTH

Cancer: Health Services

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to measure the one- and five-year cancer survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancer for patients of all ages in the improvement area of Domain 1 of the NHS Outcome Framework for 2011-12.

Paul Burstow: The first "NHS Outcomes Framework 2011-12", published on 20 December 2010, sets out the outcomes and corresponding indicators that will be used to track the success of the national health service in delivering improved outcomes for one-year and five-year survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers, for patients aged between 15-99 years. Existing data for cancer survival rates are published by the Office for National Statistics and can be accessed via the following link:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=14007
	In "NHS Outcomes Framework 2011-12-Technical details of indicators", we summarised the sources of the data published in the framework, as well as technical information about all of the indicators.

Departmental Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which public bodies sponsored by his Department  (a) have been and  (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following his appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence.

Simon Burns: The coalition Government are committed to increasing the accountability of public bodies, and this involves reducing their number and their cost to the taxpayer. The proposals for the majority of bodies across all Departments were announced and published on 14 October 2010. An updated list reflecting changes since October 2010 has been published on the Cabinet Office website this month.
	Summary information on public appointments is published annually by the Cabinet Office. This includes data on gender. Copies of the most recent report are available at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/ndpb

Epilepsy: Totnes

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with epilepsy in  (a) Totnes constituency,  (b) South Devon and  (c) England in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Burstow: The information requested has never been collected.
	The national Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) records the number of people, aged 18 or over, recorded on practice disease registers who are receiving drug treatment for epilepsy. The register is not a count of patients newly diagnosed with the disease within each year but rather a count of patients receiving drug treatment for epilepsy on a specific day within the year. These data are available for the releases of QOF covering financial years 2005-06 through to 2009-10 at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/audits-and-performance/the-quality-and-outcomes-framework

Heart Diseases: Children

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which body will make the final decision on the Safe and Sustainable Review of Children's Congenital Cardiac Services in England;
	(2)  what professional expertise members of the body making the decision on the Safe and Sustainable Review of Children's Congenital Cardiac Services in England will be required to possess.

Simon Burns: Once the public consultation has concluded, the decision on the future number and location of surgical centres in England will be made by the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT), on behalf of the local national health service commissioners.
	The professional expertise required for membership of the JCPCT is that the members of the committee are either primary care trust chief executives or their nominated representatives. The JCPCT has been informed by a considerable amount of evidence from professional experts in the field, including from an advisory group of experts representing their professional associations. This advisory group was also responsible for developing the proposed quality standards against which the current surgical centres were assessed.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on prescription charges for gluten-free  (a) food and  (b) medication.

Simon Burns: The Department's policy on prescription charges for gluten-free food and medication is the same as for other medicines. A patient will be liable to pay prescription charges on a national health service prescription for these products unless exemption arrangements apply.

TRANSPORT

Blue Badge Scheme

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of blue badges issued for disabled parking as a result of the implementation of his proposed Blue Badges Reform programme.

Norman Baker: We have estimated that around 860,000 applications for blue badges were made in 2009-10, of which approximately 90,000 were rejected. We have estimated that our planned reforms will increase the number of rejected applications by between 17,000 and 51,000 in 2012-13. The number of rejected applications are estimated to continue to rise between 2% and 3% annually. The increase in rejected applications will be due to more robust eligibility assessments which will help ensure that badges go to those who need them most.
	We have also estimated that there could be a potential increase in the number of blue badge holders of around 3,000 as a result of the proposed extensions to the eligibility criteria that I announced on 14 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 65-66WS.

Departmental Pay

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that his published departmental organisational chart includes the names and responsibilities of all staff paid over £58,200 per annum in his Department and in the non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which he is responsible.

Norman Baker: The coalition Government are committed to improving transparency and the Coalition programme includes commitments to publish salary information for the most senior civil servants and to publish organograms for the entire organisation.
	As a first step, the Government published the details of 345 senior officials in departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies in post at 31 March 2010 whose rate of pay was £150,000 or more. Publication of name, job title and base salary details was then extended to some lower levels of the senior civil service (SCS) as part of the organograms that were published last October.
	Although individualised salary details for the most junior level of the SCS (Pay Bands 1 and 1A) were not released, the numbers and grades of staff in each of their teams and the total salary costs of that team were published. Organograms will next be updated by the end of May to show structures as at 31 March 2011.
	Good progress is being made across the civil service and beyond in improving transparency of how Government works and uses its resources. We are now in a period of consolidating and embedding transparency processes into business as usual. We are always looking to go further and we will continue over the coming months to review, and where necessary improve, the quality and extent of data being released.

Departmental Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether all new contracts his Department has tendered over £10,000 have been published with associated tender documents on the Contracts Finder website since its inception.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has not published any new contracts on the Contract Finder website since its inception as none has been awarded that meets the criteria for publication.

Departmental Procurement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which procurement projects engaged in by  (a) his Department and  (b) each non-departmental public body and agency for which he is responsible had a designated senior responsible owner in the latest period for which figures are available; and on what date they were appointed in each such case.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport (Central) has a robust approach to project management and the appointment of the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) is embedded in that approach. The information on the date that each SRO was appointed is not held centrally.
	This approach has also been taken by the British Transport Police Authority, Driving Standards Agency, Government Car and Despatch Agency, Highways Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Vehicle Certification Agency, Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, High Speed 2, Directly Operated Railways and Northern Lighthouse Board.
	The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has a designated senior responsible owner for each procurement project, but the information, as requested, is not available.
	Passenger Focus has a robust approach to project management based, in a proportionate way, on the concepts set out in PRINCE2(tm) methodology. However, there are currently no procurement projects for which a Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) has been designated. Given the application of the SRO role to 'major government projects' only there have been no such designations in the period from July 2005 (when Passenger Focus was created).
	The Renewable Fuels Agency adopts a robust approach to project management underpinned by adherence to central guidance on transparency and a financial scheme of delegation.
	Trinity House adopts PRINCE2(tm) and has a project board, accountable to the Executive and Lighthouse Board. At the practical level, the project manager will take day-to-day responsibility.
	This issue is not applicable to Cycling England or the Railway Heritage Committee.

Roads

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress his Department has made better to facilitate the adoption by local authorities of residential roads in new housing developments since June 2010.

Norman Baker: holding answer 10 March 2011
	Since I discussed these issues with the hon. Member in the Adjournment debate on 23 June 2010, a working group made up of a mix of local authorities has been formed to assist the Department for Transport in creating policy options. This group has just presented its findings and the Department is now considering the suggested policy options.

Roads: Trans-European Networks

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on road pricing for the use of roads in Trans European Networks; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport has had discussions at the European Council of Ministers on the Eurovignette Directive, which sets the rules for countries that wish to introduce charging for heavy goods vehicles on the Trans European Network. Beyond that, the Secretary of State has had no discussions with his European Counterparts about road pricing on the Trans European Network.

Taxis: Bus Lanes

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that owners of private hire vehicles are able to transfer liability for penalties imposed for bus lane violations to the driver at the time of the offence; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 March 2011,  Official Report, column 920W. It is a matter for the Mayor of London to decide whether to progress the hon. Member's suggestion.

Traffic Lights: Repairs and Maintenance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements his Department places on highway authorities for repairs to traffic lights and lights at pedestrian crossings; within what time period they are required to undertake such repairs; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not issue any national guidance on the requirements to repair traffic and pedestrian lights within a specified period. This is a matter for the relevant local highway authority.

Trams: Nottingham

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the projected capital costs to his Department of extending the Nottingham Tram are.

Norman Baker: The last approved Government contribution to the Nottingham tram extension scheme was a maximum of £530.7 million in the form of PFI credits. The Department is now working closely with the scheme promoter, Nottingham city council, to ensure the project is affordable, in accordance with the announcement made following the comprehensive spending review in October 2010.

CABINET OFFICE

BSkyB and News Corporation

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what meetings the Prime Minister's Director of Communications has had with representatives of  (a) BSkyB and  (b) News Corporation since his appointment; what the (i) date and (ii) purpose of each such meeting was; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on 3 February 2011,  Official Report, column 885W.

Departmental Rail Travel

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of civil servants in his Department are entitled to travel first class by rail within the UK.

Francis Maude: No Cabinet Office civil servants are entitled to travel by first class rail. In exceptional cases, e.g. for health reasons or where it is cheaper, staff at any grade may travel by first class rail, with prior approval from the travel manager.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Berkshire

Alok Sharma: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average duration of a jobseeker's allowance claim was in  (a) Reading West constituency,  (b) Reading and  (c) Berkshire in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the average duration of jobseeker's allowance claim was in (a) Reading West constituency, (b) Reading and (c) Berkshire in each of the last 10 years. (046631)
	The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is taken from the Jobcentre Plus administrative system. The length of a claim has been defined as the time between the start of an individual's claim and the count date in each reference month. Table 1 shows the median length of live claims for January of each of the last 10 years for those people resident in the, Reading and Berkshire areas. The figures for Reading West Constituency are provided from January 2005. Figures prior to this are not available for the parliamentary constituencies formed in the 2010 general election.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			  Table 1: Median length of claims in weeks of  jobseeker's allowance  of persons( 1)  resident in Reading West constituency, Reading and Berkshire 
			  As at January each year:  Reading West  Reading  Berkshire 
			 2002 (2)- 11.5 11.2 
			 2003 (2)- 14.5 14.2 
			 2004 (2)- 18.4 18.4 
			 2005 22.5 21.9 22.4 
			 2006 20.8 21.7 19.5 
			 2007 18.9 18.9 16.5 
			 2008 13.8 15.0 12.5 
			 2009 11.3 12.0 10.2 
			 2010 18.3 19.3 16.1 
			 2011 12.7 13.9 13.6 
			 (1) Length of claim data is only available for computerised claims, which account for 99.7% of all claims. (2) Data unavailable  Source: Jobcentre Plus Administrative System

Tech City East London

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what contribution his Department is making to the Prime Minister's initiative to create a Tech City in East London.

Francis Maude: The Government's input into the initiative comes under the policy responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Business and Enterprise, my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk), on 17 January 2011,  Official Report, column 638W.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the merits of equipping the aircraft carrier, the Prince of Wales, with catapults and traps to  (a) make it compatible with JSF-35C and  (b) increase its potential for future sales.

Peter Luff: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1247W, to the right hon. Member for Coventry North East (Mr Ainsworth).

Armed Forces: Redundancy

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 1 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 21-2WS, on armed forces redundancy process, how many of the armed forces personnel to be made redundant have  (a) noise-induced hearing loss and  (b) other serious injuries or disabilities.

Andrew Robathan: Those selected for redundancy have not yet been identified.

Blue Force

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make arrangements for military lawyers and personnel in Afghanistan to provide legal assistance to members of HM Armed Forces who are customers of Blue Force Property and Blue Force Services.

Andrew Robathan: As this is a matter between an individual and a private company, Ministry of Defence lawyers are unable to offer legal assistance. However, we have issued advice through the Chain of Command.
	Those deployed on operations and who require assistance in resolving issues raised through the liquidation of BlueForce should approach their Chain of Command to request a welfare phone card. This will be provided at no cost and will facilitate them obtaining the necessary assistance.

Commando Helicopter Force

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what he expects the complement of the Commando Helicopter Force to be in each of the next five years;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the long-term viability of the Commando Helicopter Force; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey) on 3 March 2011,  Official Report, column 564W, to the right hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr Laws). As part of the Future Force 2020, the Strategic Defence and Security Review endorsed the Commando Helicopter Force as a key component of Littoral Manoeuvre Tailored Air Group and confirmed its requirement. In addition to Littoral Manoeuvre, the force supports Maritime Counter Terrorism and Land Operations.
	To ensure the longer term viability of the Commando Helicopter Force, it is intended to transfer the Royal Air Force Merlin helicopters Mk3/3a to the Royal Navy and to undertake a ship optimisation program to MK4/4a in order to provide embarked medium lift capability for Littoral Manoeuvre. The Commando Helicopter Force will also receive a small number of Battlefield Wildcat (Army) helicopters to replace the Lynx Mk7/9a.

Defence: Procurement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which procurement projects engaged upon by  (a) his Department and  (b) each non-departmental public body and agency for which he is responsible had a designated senior responsible owner in the latest period for which figures are available; and on what date each officer was appointed in each such case.

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many senior responsible owners have been designated within his Department; and to which project each is assigned.

Peter Luff: holding answer 14 March 2011
	Senior responsible owners (SROs) for the Ministry of Defence's (MOD)'s most significant business change and military capability programmes are formally appointed and are responsible to the Defence Board as their Sponsoring Group. These designated SROs are personally appointed by MOD's Permanent Under-Secretary. A table detailing the appointments made since this policy was introduced in 2005 has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The policy does not distinguish between the MOD and its agencies, and has not been applied to its trading funds or non-departmental public bodies. The table shows appointments for both military capability and business change programmes and projects, the majority of which include procurement elements (for example, the procurement of information systems or building works in the case of business change programmes).

Departmental Public Expenditure

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maximum value is of a project which may be authorised by an official of his Department without seeking ministerial consent; and what the largest such project was in the last three years.

Peter Luff: holding answer 17 March 2011
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) primarily categorises projects by type and level of investment required. The largest projects that may be approved by senior officials are category B projects, the value of which depends on the type of project as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Type of project  Category B value (£ million) 
			 Equipment 100-400 
			 Information system-enabled business change 50-100 
			 Estates 50-100 
			 Service provision 200-400 
			 In-service support 200-400 
		
	
	The authority to approve category B projects is delegated to a senior committee of representatives of the investment approvals board. These thresholds for approval have been set based on the level of delegated authority from the Treasury, the volume of projects at each level and the need to optimise the level of scrutiny.
	However, since April 2009, all projects valued at over £100 million have also required the approval of the Treasury at either official or ministerial level. Any projects that require the approval of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury are first approved by Ministers at the MOD.
	The highest value project to have been approved by senior officials in the last three years was a project to provide in-service support to refurbish HMS Vigilant. This was approved in October 2008 at a value of £372 million.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regulations his Department repealed between 1 February 2011 and 28 February 2011.

Andrew Robathan: On 28 February 2011, the Ministry of Defence laid before Parliament the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011 (SI 2011/517). The purpose of this Order was to revoke and re-enact the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2005 (SI 2005/439), with modifications incorporating the recommendations of the Review of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme by Admiral the Lord Boyce which had been laid before Parliament in February 2010 (Cm 7798). Together with the original 2005 Order, a further seven Orders relating to the Scheme made between 2006 and 2010 were revoked by this new Order.

Ex-Servicemen: Long Term Care

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to ensure the provision of long-term care for former service personnel who are injured while in service.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence continues to work with other bodies including the UK Department of Health, to ensure the successful transition of health care support as personnel move from service to civilian life. Recent steps include the development of the Army Recovery Capability, and the implementation of the recommendations of my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) in the area of mental health care.

Gurkhas

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gurkhas serving in the Army have sustained noise-induced hearing loss in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: Prior to 2010, the Ministry of Defence does not hold information on the number of UK armed forces personnel medically downgraded as a result of 'noise-induced' hearing loss and these data could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	From 2010 the figures for Gurkhas serving in the armed forces who have been assessed with impaired/poor hearing are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of trained and serving Gurkhas  Number of Gurkhas who have received impaired/poor hearing assessments 
			 2010 3,730 93 
			 2011 3,710 114 
		
	
	For the period 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2009, there were no Gurkhas medically discharged with a principal reason of noise-induced hearing loss.

Harrier Aircraft: Redundancy

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any pilots have been made redundant as a result of the deletion of the Harrier fleet.

Andrew Robathan: No.

Military Aircraft

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many AWACS aircraft are declared ready for operations; and at what level of readiness such aircraft are held;
	(2)  how many Typhoon squadrons are declared ready for operations; and at what level of readiness such aircraft are held.

Nick Harvey: There are currently three operationally declared Typhoon squadrons and one flight. There are six AWACS aircraft declared for operations.
	I am withholding information on the level of readiness as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability and effectiveness of the armed forces.

RAF Leuchars

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2011,  Official Report, column 70W, on the Air Force: military bases, what the cost to the public purse was of the work at RAF Leuchars classified as redevelopment.

Peter Luff: The question refers to work scheduled as part of the annual planning round in 2010. No costs have been incurred on redevelopment in 2010-11 and I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend (Nick Harvey), on 7 February 2011,  Official Report, column 25W.

Squatting

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many buildings on his Department's estate were occupied by squatters in each year between 2006 and 2010; and on how many occasions his Department sought interim possession orders to remove squatters from such buildings in each of those years.

Peter Luff: This information is not held centrally and only be provided could at disproportionate cost.

Strategic Defence and Security Review

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the strategic defence and security review what steps he has taken to enhance simulated training to produce a more efficient and cost-effective training environment.

Nick Harvey: The Ministry of Defence has instigated the Defence Training Systems and Infrastructure (DTS&I) Change Programme to transform the Department's approach to training through greater use of simulation and synthetic systems. This will improve the readiness and effectiveness of the UK armed forces and significantly reduce the cost of training. DTS&I is working closely with the Front Line Commands to identify the most appropriate mix of live and synthetic systems.

Trident Submarines

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which occasions each Minister of State in his Department has been present to welcome returning submariners following a tour of duty of a Vanguard-class submarine in the last 15 years.

Liam Fox: Centralised records have only been held since December 2004 and information prior to then could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, since December 2004, the following visits by Ministers of State have been undertaken to welcome returning Vanguard Class submarines from deterrent patrol:
	November 2005 Minister for Defence Procurement (The Lord Drayson)
	February 2006 Minister for the Armed Forces (The hon. Adam Ingram)
	June 2007 Secretary of State for Defence (The right hon. Des Browne)
	October 2009 Secretary of State for Defence (The right hon. Bob Ainsworth)
	June 2010 Minister for the Armed Forces (The hon. Nick Harvey)
	November 2010 Secretary of State for Defence (The right hon. Dr Liam Fox).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments: Inspections

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspectors the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate employed in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010; and how many she expects it to employ in (i) 2011 and (ii) 2012.

Lynne Featherstone: The number of individual Animal Scientific Procedures Inspectors employed to contribute to the inspection process in each of the following years was:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2008 28 
			 2009 27 
			 2010 27 
		
	
	I am not in a position to predict figures for the future number of inspectors. However, we are committed to continue to match resources to deliver the appropriate outcomes of the inspection process.

Animal Experiments: Inspections

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspections the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate made in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010; and how many she expects it to make in (i) 2011 and (ii) 2012.

Lynne Featherstone: The following number of visits to places where scientific work on animals was conducted was made by the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectors.
	
		
			   Visits 
			 2008 2,088 
			 2009 1,994 
			 2010 1,984 
		
	
	I am not in a position to estimate future numbers of inspections by the Home Office inspectors. The inspectorate will continue to take a risk-based approach to the planning and execution of the inspection programme.
	European Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes is to be implemented in United Kingdom legislation on 1 January 2013. A detailed assessment of the impact of its provisions including those relating to inspections is under way and will in due course be included in a public consultation on options for transposition.
	We are weighing up the implications of the various requirements of the directive with a view to seeking views in the public consultation. We plan to reach firm decisions on the way forward before the summer recess after considering the responses on this and other issues.

Courts: Closures

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the effects of proposed court closures on the time taken by police officers to  (a) search for and  (b) transport to court individuals who have failed to attend court.

Nick Herbert: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is in regular discussion with the Secretary of State for Justice on issues relating to criminal justice efficiency. We are working to develop a package of reforms that will make the whole criminal justice system more efficient, including reducing the time and effort currently spent transporting people and paperwork around the system.
	There is no evidence to suggest that travel distance to court is a significant cause of defendants failing to appear. We expect defendants to attend court when summoned, and if defendants fail to appear at court guidance is in place that obliges the court to consider proceeding in their absence. Wilful failure to attend court can be a criminal offence. The Criminal Justice System (CJS) agencies have worked together to ensure defendants get to court and we expect that to continue.
	We believe that better planning of court activities in fewer and larger court centres will result in regular users such as the police making fewer journeys to court overall.

Domestic Violence

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has put in place targets in respect of police response to domestic violence cases.

Lynne Featherstone: There are no central targets in place in relation to the police response to domestic violence. Local areas may, of course, set their own targets in consultation with partners.
	The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Guidance on Investigating Domestic Abuse provides the police service with clear information about the policing of domestic violence and provides operational, tactical and strategic advice.

Independent Safeguarding Authority

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last 12 months the Independent Safeguarding Authority has used its powers under the Policing and Crime Act 2009 to provide information to the police.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 17 March 2011
	The Policing and Crime Act 2009 amended the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 to include section 50A which allows the Independent Safeguarding Authority to provide any information it has to a Chief Officer of Police for use in connection with:
	(a) the prevention, detection and investigation of crime;
	(b) the apprehension and prosecution of offenders.
	Between 1 March 2010 and 28 February 2011 the Independent Safeguarding Authority responded to 226 enquiries from the police under section 50(A). In addition, the Independent Safeguarding Authority has proactively disclosed information to the police on 14 occasions and provided 184 evidence packs under section 50A.

Independent Safeguarding Authority

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been barred from regulated activity relating to children by the Independent Safeguarding Authority who have not been subject to investigation or prosecution by police forces.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 17 March 2011
	Between 1 March 2010 and 28 February 2011 the Independent Safeguarding Authority used its discretionary powers to bar 109 people on the children's list for whom they held no record of a police investigation or prosecution taking place.

Independent Safeguarding Authority

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been barred from regulated activity relating to children by the Independent Safeguarding Authority who have not received a relevant criminal conviction.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 17 March 2011
	 Relevant offences are set out in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Prescribed Criteria and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2009. Where a person accepts a caution or is convicted of a relevant offence, the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) is legally required to place them on the barred list relating to children and/or vulnerable adults (automatic barring).
	Between 1 March 2010 and 28 February 2011, the ISA used its discretionary powers to bar 248 people from regulated activity on the children's list. Of these, 81 had been convicted and two had accepted cautions for offences which had not led to automatic barring. The ISA holds no record of any conviction or caution for the remaining 165 individuals who were barred under discretionary powers.

Police

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to publish the report into police leadership commissioned from Peter Neyroud.

Theresa May: holding answer 10 March 2011
	I will publish the report soon and will consult on it.

Vetting

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when  (a) schools,  (b) children's activities providers,  (c) service providers for vulnerable adults and  (d) care homes will be required to obtain (i) a standard Criminal Records Bureau check and (ii) an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check on a potential employee (voluntary or otherwise); when they will be able to exercise discretion in obtaining (A) a standard Criminal Records Bureau check and (B) an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check following implementation of proposals in the Protection of Freedoms Bill.

Lynne Featherstone: Criminal records disclosure arrangements provide eligibility to obtain Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks rather than a requirement to do so, for posts covered by the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Eligibility for enhanced criminal records certificates are determined by regulations made under the Police Act 1997 and are normally available for those working closely with children or vulnerable adults.
	The decision to request a CRB check is made by the body recruiting the individual, subject to statutory requirements and any sector specific guidance. A number of regulations applying in the health and education sectors require criminal records checks to be undertaken.
	Measures in the Protection of Freedoms Bill will not change these arrangements but will introduce a legal requirement for a barred list check to be made on persons entering regulated activity, which may be done by obtaining an enhanced criminal records check.

Vetting

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to enable  (a) schools,  (b) providers of young people's services and  (c) providers of services to vulnerable adults to gain access to the non-criminal information held by the Independent Safeguarding Authority on potential employees conducting non-regulated activities.

Lynne Featherstone: Non-regulated activity is not subject to the barring regime and there is no power for the Independent Safeguarding Authority to provide such information. We have no plans to introduce such arrangements.
	The provision of this information may be seen as disproportionate to the purposes of the barring regime and in breach of article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Vetting

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to permit the sharing of the outcome of Criminal Records Bureau checks in cases where a similar body has carried out a recent check.

Lynne Featherstone: The decision to request a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) certificate is made in line with each organisation's own internal recruitment policies and any sector specific legislation that governs them. A CRB certificate can be used for more than one position but the decision whether to accept a 'ported' certificate is made by the organisation and not the CRB.
	The Government have commissioned an independent review into the criminal records regime and a number of recommendations have been made, which should ultimately reduce the need for an individual to obtain multiple CRB checks:
	The Protection of Freedoms Bill, which was introduced in Parliament in February, contains provisions to allow for a system of up-dating for CRB certificates. The provisions allow that any individual applying for a CRB certificate can apply to be part of an up-dating service. This would allow an applicant to authorise employers to make a check of the service to identify whether any "new" information was known that would appear on a certificate, should one be issued.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

English Language: Education

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what equality impact assessment he has commissioned in respect of the proposed changes to English for Speakers of Other Languages funding for adults; and when he plans to make that assessment available to the House.

John Hayes: The equality impact assessment published alongside "Skills for Sustainable Growth (November 2010)" found that, at the aggregate level, there are unlikely to be disproportionate impacts on protected groups. A separate assessment of how the changes may affect ESOL learners is currently being carried out by the Department. I expect to be able to publish the assessment in due course.

Entry Clearances: India

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2011,  Official Report, column711W, on entry clearances: India, what the maximum number of such natural persons is that could be admitted to the UK each year in accordance with any such EU-India Free Trade Agreement; and what minimum salary would be required of them.

Mark Prisk: The EU-lndia Free Trade Agreement is still under negotiation. In those categories of natural person where numbers may be limited in the agreement, no decisions on numbers have been finalised.
	We expect the agreement to be consistent with the Government's intention to apply a £40,000 minimum salary requirement to intra-company transferees coming to the UK for more than 12 months.

Higher Education: Finance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to which institutions capital grants have been made from the  (a) Strategic Development Fund and  (b) University Modernisation Fund to date; and what the monetary value of each such grant was.

David Willetts: holding answer 18 March 2011
	The projects approved by the Higher Education Funding Council for England through the Strategic Development Fund are published by the council on its website at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/finance/fundinghe/sdf/projects_aug10.xls
	I will place a copy in the Libraries of the House. The University Modernisation Fund does not have a capital element.

Video Games: Sales

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many British-made video games were sold worldwide in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008,  (c) 2009 and  (d) 2010;
	(2)  how many British-made video games were sold in the UK in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008,  (c) 2009 and (d) 2010;
	(3)  what proportion of video games sold in the UK video games industry were British-made in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008,  (c) 2009 and  (d) 2010.

Edward Vaizey: My Department does not collect sales figures for video games. However, in 2010:
	10,913,984 units of UK developed games were sold in the UK;
	UK developed games accounted for 17.4% of the total number of games sold in the UK.
	These figures are for physical boxed product sales at retail.
	 Source
	UKIE Games Chart, compiled by GFK Chart-Track

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

British Overseas Territories: Overseas Aid

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's bilateral aid he plans to allocate to British Overseas Territories from 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Andrew Mitchell: Aid allocations for the British Overseas Territories are currently being finalised as part of DFID's operational plans. These plans will be published in April.
	The Overseas Territories are a first call on the aid budget, as stipulated by the 2002 International Development Act.
	The Government intend to bring all aspects of the Government's policies on the Overseas Territories together in a new White Paper in the course of the year ahead. We will want to consult widely on this. The strategy will be discussed across Government through the National Security Council and the House will be updated once this is complete.

Departmental Public Bodies

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which public bodies sponsored by his Department  (a) have been and  (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following his appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence.

Andrew Mitchell: In my written statement to the House on 12 October 2010,  Official Report , column 14-16WS, I set out my intention to reconfigure CDC Group plc in order radically to increase its development impact. I informed that House that my Department would commission independent studies and a public consultation on CDC as part of a process of review. The consultation report and summaries of three of the independent studies have already been published on the DFID website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	I shall make a further announcement in the coming months and CDC will reflect the necessary changes in the business plan which they will publish in the spring. CDC is a public limited company in which Her Majesty's Government is the 100% shareholder.

International Labour Organisation: Expenditure

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development to which International Labour Organisation projects and programmes his Department provided funding in the last four years.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) provided a total of £17.05 million to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) over the past four years under a central partnership agreement. This partnership agreement ended in March 2010 and was not renewed. DFID has also funded some ILO projects and programmes through bilateral country programmes. DFID is not able to provide a full list of all projects and programmes supported without incurring disproportionate cost.

Lesotho: Overseas Aid

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reason he has decided to reduce the level of his Department's aid to Lesotho; what account he took of the relative gross domestic product per head of Lesotho in making his decision; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) bilateral programme to Lesotho, which last year totalled £3.7 million, represents a small fraction of Lesotho's overall aid. Our experience is that such small programmes often struggle to achieve sufficient impact.
	Lesotho is classed as a lower middle income country based on its gross national income per head. Even without the DFID bilateral programme, Lesotho will continue to receive more aid per person than most African countries, including some which are far poorer than Lesotho in income terms. DFID will continue to provide around £10 million to Lesotho each year through the EU, World Bank, debt relief and international non-governmental organisations.

Overseas Aid

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which year his Department's bilateral aid programme with Angola will close; what arrangements he has made for phasing in the closure of that programme; what discussions he held with the government of Angola prior to his decision on the future of the programme; and what proportion of the official development assistance received by Angola his Department's bilateral aid comprised in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development's (DFID's) bilateral aid programme with Angola will close on 31 March 2011. The decision was taken in early 2008 to gradually close the programme over three years. This was communicated at the time to the Government of Angola. This decision was confirmed by the coalition Government under the Bilateral Aid Review. No projects have been closed earlier than planned.
	In 2008, the last year for which data is available, the World Bank reports that Angola received a total of $368,820,000 in Official Development Assistance (ODA). Of this total, DFID bilateral aid comprised £3.27 million (approximately $5.26 million) or 1.4% of the total.

Pakistan: Females

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what  (a) projects and  (b) organisations to assist women and girls his Department funded in Pakistan in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government are committed to placing women at the heart of our agenda for international development. All the Department for International Development's (DFID's) programmes take account of their impact on women and girls in their design and implementation.
	DFID has supported a number of programmes that directly benefit girls' and women's organisations and activities in Pakistan over recent years. For example, DFID's support to the United Nations Development Programme Gender Justice and Protection Programme has, since March 2007, helped 6,000 women victims of violence by providing them with counselling and legal aid. Our support to Oxfam GB (2008-13) is promoting the rights and capacity of poor women to engage effectively in governance at all levels in a number of countries including Pakistan. DFID is also supporting the microfinance sector to serve an additional 1.5 million poor people, over half of which will be women.
	The most up to date information on all of our projects in Pakistan is published online on DFID's Project Database, available at
	http://projects.dfid.gov.uk

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how much the Government Equalities Office has spent on  (a) salaries and  (b) pension entitlements for special advisers in the financial year 2010-11 to date.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office is not responsible for the salary and pension payments of special advisers in 2010-11.

Departmental Procurement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many procurement projects with a monetary value greater than  (a) £10 million,  (b) £50 million and  (c) £100 million the Government Equalities Office was engaged upon in the latest period for which figures are available.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office has not engaged in any projects valued at £10 million and above.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Pay

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2011,  Official Report, column 18W, on the Equality and Human Rights Commission: pay, what the average salary was of employees of the Equality and Human Rights Commission who were  (a) white and  (b) non-disabled as at 31 March 2010.

Lynne Featherstone: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an arm's length body; the following is based on information it has provided.
	Based on the salaries of EHRC employees as at 31 March 2010 (the most recent information available) the average annual salaries of the employee groups requested are as follows:
	 (a) White: £35,800
	 (b) Non-disabled: £35,400.

JUSTICE

Appeals: Employment and Support Allowance

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeals against decisions made on applications for employment and support allowance are outstanding in  (a) Wrexham,  (b) Wales and  (c) Great Britain.

Jonathan Djanogly: There are always a number of 'live' appeals in the First tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) progressing through the stages of receipt, decision and promulgation. The number of live employment support allowance appeals in the UK up to 31 January 2011, the most recent period for which statistics have been published, was 87,700. This number was recorded on 31 January but was not broken down by geographical area. It is not possible to identify how many of these live appeals were in Wrexham and Wales.

Appeals: Employment and Support Allowance

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average length of time taken is to determine an appeal for employment and support allowance.

Jonathan Djanogly: The average length of time taken to determine an appeal for employment support allowance was 22.51 weeks as of 31 January 2011. This is the most recent period for which statistics have been published.

Appeals: Social Security Benefits

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how long on average it took the Tribunals Service to administer a First-Tier Tribunal social security and child support appeal in 2009-10; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figure for 2010-11.

Jonathan Djanogly: The following table provides information on the average length of time taken to determine an appeal from receipt to promulgation for the First-tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support in 2009-10 and year to date up to 31 January 2011. This is the most recent period for which statistics are available.
	
		
			  Average number of weeks taken to administer social security and child support appeals 
			   Average number of weeks 
			 2009-10 14.34 
			 2010-11 to 31 January 2011(1) 18.98 
			 (1) April 2010 to 31 January 2011.

Appeals: Social Security Benefits

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeals regarding  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) employment support allowance,  (c) income support,  (d) jobseeker's allowance and  (e) tax credits the Tribunals Service heard in 2009-10; and how many such appeals in each category he expects it to hear in 2010-11;

Jonathan Djanogly: The following table provides information on the number of appeal hearings for the First-tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support regarding  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) employment support allowance,  (c) income support,  (d) jobseekers allowance and  (e) tax credits in 2009-10 and year to date up to 31 January 2011. This is the most recent period for which statistics are available.
	
		
			  Total number of cases disposed of and heard by the First-tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support 
			   2009-10  2010-11 to 31 January 2011( 1) 
			  Number of disposed of cases( 2:)   
			 Disability living allowance 65,400 52,300 
			 Employment support allowance 70,500 139,500 
			 Income support 17,700 12,800 
			 Job seekers allowance 28,800 33,100 
			 Tax credits 1,400 2,200 
			 All social security and child support 279,300 302,700 
			  Number of cases disposed of at hearing:   
			 Disability living allowance 52,400 72,600 
			 Employment support allowance 50,800 99,900 
			 Income support 11,800 8,500 
			 Job seekers allowance 17,500 20,800 
			 Tax credits 900 1,300 
			 All social security and child support 207,600 219,400 
			 (1) April to 31 January 2011. (2) Non hearing clearances including strike out and withdrawals.  Note: Figures may not add totals because of rounding

Squatters

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many buildings on his Department's estate were occupied by squatters in each year between 2006 and 2010; and on how many occasions his Department sought interim possession orders to remove squatters from such buildings in each of those years.

Crispin Blunt: One building owned by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was twice occupied by squatters in 2009 and interim possession orders sought to remove them on both occasions. Other than these, there have been no squatters in MoJ buildings.

Tribunals Service

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to increase capacity at the Tribunals Service in order to reduce the backlog of appeals awaiting hearing.

Jonathan Djanogly: The largest three jurisdictions within the Tribunals Service, Social Security and Child Support, Immigration and Asylum and Employment Tribunals accounted for 92% of receipts for the business year 2009-10.
	The Tribunals Service has continued to respond strongly to the significant increase in appeal cases received the First-tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support (SSCS). There are always a number of 'live' appeals in SSCS progressing through the stages of receipt, decision and promulgation. This is not the same as a backlog. As the volumes of SSCS receipts have increased, so has the capacity of the Tribunals Service to deal with them. It is increasing its capacity through the recruitment of additional staff, judicial medical tribunal members as well as a range of business improvements. The Statistical Notice(3) published on 11 March shows that there has been a 36% increase in the number of disposals by this jurisdiction from 222,300 in April 2009-January 2010, to 302,700 in April 2010-January 2011. As the Tribunals Service continues to bring additional resources on line, we expect the outstanding caseload to fall and reduce waiting times for tribunal hearings.
	The First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber (FTTIAC) has reduced its work in hand by 43% since March 2009 and it stands at 50,300 at the end of quarter two this year. This is the lowest it has been since the inception of the Asylum and Immigration tribunal in 2005.
	The work load in employment tribunals is also high, with 442,700 'live' cases in the system at the end of September 2010(1). A large majority of this total consist of multiple cases. Multiple cases are where two or more people bring cases, usually against a single employer but not necessarily so and always arising out of the same or very similar circumstances. The Tribunals Service counts each person involved as a separate claim but they represent a very much smaller number of cases proceeding through the system. However, the rate of disposals also remains high; in the last complete financial year-2009-10-over 112,000 claims were disposed of, an increase of 22% on the previous year(2). In addition, a range of initiatives have been introduced to deal with the cases that remain. Innovations have included evening sittings at tribunals, piloting ACAS officer involvement at interlocutory hearings to help facilitate earlier resolution between the parties, variations in the listing and case management procedure, and developments of the judicial mediation. The Government are also currently consulting on a range of proposals that will help to streamline the employment tribunal system still further.
	 Sources:
	(1) TS Quarterly Statistics, Q2, 2010/11. See Table 1.3 at page 31.
	(2) TS ET and EAT statistics 2009/10. See page 3.
	(3) Available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/15355.htm

Universal Credit: Tribunals Service

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions  (a) he and  (b) other Ministers in his Department have had with the Department for Work and Pensions on the likely effects of the introduction of universal credit on the workload of the Tribunals Service.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Tribunals Service and Department for Work and Pensions have been working closely together to manage demands on tribunals and the capacity of tribunals to deal with increased workloads. Regular discussions will continue in planning for the likely effects of the introduction of universal credit on the workload of the Tribunals Service.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will investigate reports of Afghan security forces freeing Taliban prisoners for payment or political motives.

Alistair Burt: The investigation of allegation of wrongdoing by Afghan National Security Forces is a matter for the Government of Afghanistan. We would expect them to carry out such investigations fully and promptly.

China: Politics and Government

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with his Chinese counterpart the treatment in that country of non-Chinese journalists working for  (a) UK and  (b) non-UK news organisations.

Jeremy Browne: We are aware of reports of violence and intimidation of foreign journalists in China. We take this very seriously and have consistently urged the authorities to respect the rights of foreign journalists to report freely in China without fear of violence or any form of intimidation. We have raised these concerns with the Chinese authorities both bilaterally in London and in Beijing and in conjunction with our EU partners and will continue to do so.
	We believe that greater openness to the international media is strongly in China's own interests.

China: Politics and Government

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with his Chinese counterpart the treatment in that country of Chinese nationals working for non-Chinese news organisations.

Jeremy Browne: We are aware of reports that Chinese nationals with links to overseas media groups have been subjected to pressure.
	We have consistently raised the treatment of foreign media working in China with the Chinese authorities both bilaterally in London and Beijing and in conjunction with EU partners.
	We oppose any form of pressure on or intimidation towards foreign media by Chinese authorities to influence their reporting. We have consistently called on the Chinese authorities to observe their obligations on human rights under international law, including on freedom of speech, and will continue to do so.

Council of Europe

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of the UK to the Council of Europe.

David Lidington: The UK was a founder member of the Council of Europe (CoE) in 1949 and has always been at the forefront of the CoE's work, including in its Parliamentary Assembly and its Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. We believe that the CoE's activity should focus on its core values: protection and promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Our forthcoming Chairmanship of the CoE's Committee of Ministers, from November 2011 to May 2012, will be an opportunity for us to pursue activities and reforms which emphasise these values.

Departmental Manpower

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy has been on the collection of information on the educational background of its staff in the last 20 years.

Alistair Burt: We have not had, and do not have, a policy on the collection of information on the educational background of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff.
	The FCO aims to recruit a talented and diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. Our recruitment policies are designed to encourage applications from the widest possible range of backgrounds. All external recruitment into the FCO is based on merit, and all campaigns must be fair and open.

Departmental Regulation

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what regulations his Department introduced between 9 and 28 February 2011.

Alistair Burt: Regulations are a specific type of statutory instrument. They are very rarely sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office sponsored the following Order in Council, between 9 and 28 February 2011:
	The Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) (Amendment) Order 2011 (date made: 9 February 2011).

Iceland: EU Accession

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on Iceland's accession to the EU; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Government fully support Iceland's accession to the EU. We look forward to welcoming Iceland into the EU once it has met the required criteria. The Commission has begun to produce screening reports on individual chapters of Iceland's accession negotiations. These are currently being discussed in the Council's Enlargement Working Group. We anticipate that negotiations on fisheries and the environment (including whaling) will be challenging. We believe that the accession process is the most effective way to influence Iceland to align with the EU position in these areas.

Iran: Nuclear Power

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the Iranian nuclear programme; what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the government of Israel, (b) the Palestinian Authority,  (c) the government of Egypt,  (d) the Arab League,  (e) the government of Jordan,  (f) his EU counterparts and  (g) the United Nations Secretary General on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We, and our E3+3 partners, are gravely concerned by the Iranian nuclear programme. The latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency highlights the lack of Iranian transparency over a range of outstanding concerns, including possible military dimensions to their programme. It shows that Iran is enriching uranium in defiance of UN Security Council Resolutions, and has produced 3,606kg of 3.5% and 43.6kg of 20% low enriched uranium.
	We have regular discussions with Israel, all countries in the Arab League, as well as EU and UN counterparts on this issue.

Iran: Prisoners

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek information from the Iranian Government on the detention of Dr Frood Fouladvand.

Alistair Burt: We have asked the Iranian authorities for information on the whereabouts and situation of Dr Fouladvand on a number of occasions, but they claim to have no knowledge of him. We shall continue to monitor this case.

Iran: Sanctions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Arab League on the Iranian sanctions programme; what response was received; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: We, and our E3+3 partners, are gravely concerned by the Iranian nuclear programme. We continue to pursue a diplomatic solution to the issue, through the dual track policy of pressure and engagement. We regularly discuss this with a range of international partners including those in the Arab League.

Iran: Terrorism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of Iranian involvement with terrorist proxies; what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the government of Israel,  (b) the Palestinian Authority,  (c) the Government of Egypt,  (d) the Arab League,  (e) the Government of Jordan,  (f) his EU counterparts and  (g) the United Nations Secretary General on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: We continue to monitor closely Iranian support to Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian rejectionist groups and Iraqi militia groups. We are gravely concerned by the latest evidence that Iran continues to supply the Taleban with weaponry.
	We have consistently stressed the negative impact this behaviour has on stability in the region. We regularly discuss this issue with a range of international partners.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the killing on 11 March of the Fogel family in Itamar; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of widespread press reports on this issue. We understand investigations are ongoing. As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in his statement of 12 March 2011:
	"This was an act of incomprehensible cruelty and brutality which I utterly condemn. We hope the perpetrator is swiftly brought to justice."

Morocco: Politics and Government

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the government of Morocco.

William Hague: I met the Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation Taieb Fassi-Fihri in London on 10 March 2011 and discussed a range of bilateral issues as well as the impact of regional unrest on Morocco's reform agenda.
	The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the hon. Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), visited Morocco in December 2010, where he discussed a broad range of issues with several senior representatives of the Government of Morocco. He also spoke to Mr Fassi-Fihri by telephone on 15 February 2011 to discuss the recent unrest across North Africa.
	Officials in Rabat engage in regular discussions with their Moroccan counterparts.

Somalia: Piracy

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK nationals he estimates are being held hostage by Somali pirates.

Alistair Burt: We are not aware that any British nationals are currently held hostage by Somali pirates.

Southern African Development Community

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on the role of the SADC in monitoring progress towards the 24 goals in the Global Political Agreement in Zimbabwe.

Henry Bellingham: We fully support the crucial role of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as guarantor of the Global Political Agreement (GPA). We welcome the committed leadership of President Zuma of South Africa in securing a roadmap to credible and properly monitored elections in Zimbabwe.
	There has been some progress since the formation of the Government of National Unity, but this has been primarily on the economic front. A number of key provisions in the GPA remain unimplemented. My ministerial team and I speak regularly to SADC counterparts. We take every opportunity to stress the importance of seeing the reforms through to completion and to raise our concerns about the current deterioration of political freedoms in Zimbabwe.

USA: Cotton

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the US government on the abolition of American cotton subsidies; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: My noble Friend Lord Brittan raised this issue with the US Ambassador to the UK, Louis Susman, on 7 February 2011.

Western Sahara: Human Rights

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  whether he discussed human rights monitoring in Western Sahara during his recent meeting with his Moroccan counterpart;
	(2)  whether he discussed democratic reform and the referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara during his recent meeting with his Moroccan counterpart.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed a range of bilateral issues and recent proposals by King Mohammed VI for constitutional reform. Mr Fassi Fihri also raised the issue of the Moroccan Autonomy plan for Western Sahara and proposals for a new National Council of Human Rights. We remain engaged in discussions at the UN and bilaterally about the situation in Western Sahara, including independent verification of the human rights situation and the wider human dimension of the conflict.

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Public Bodies

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Prime Minister which public bodies to which he makes appointments  (a) have been and  (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following his appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence.

David Cameron: The Government are committed to increasing the accountability of public bodies, and this involves reducing their number and their cost to the taxpayer. The proposals for the majority of bodies across all Departments were announced and published on 14 October 2010. An updated list reflecting changes since October 2010 has been published on the Cabinet Office website this month:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/public-bodies-and-appointments
	Information on the gender of those serving on the boards of public bodies is published annually.

Members: Correspondence

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to respond to the letter of 30 December 2010 on violence in computer games from the constituent of the hon. Member for Hammersmith, Corinna Jones.

David Cameron: A reply was sent earlier this year.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Equal Pay

Jo Swinson: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the House of Commons Service has undertaken a pay audit to determine whether there is a pay gap between the men and women employed in the House Service.

John Thurso: An equal pay audit was undertaken for pay bands A-D in 2007 as part of preparations for 2008 pay negotiations. A follow-up audit has now been commissioned. Work on this audit has just started and is scheduled to be complete in April 2011. An equal pay audit of the Senior Commons Structure (SCS) was undertaken in 2010 on behalf of the House's Senior Pay Panel. Equal pay audits follow best practice, i.e. the five-step equal pay audit model as outlined in the Equal Pay Statutory Code of Practice.

Females

Jo Swinson: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission what proportion of  (a) members of the House of Commons Management Board,  (b) heads of department of the House of Commons and  (c) heads of each office or service in each House of Commons department are women.  [Official Report, 1 April 2011, Vol. 525, c. 9-10MC.]

John Thurso: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The House of Commons Management Board comprises the Clerk of the House (Chair), the Directors General of the four departments of the House and the Director of PICT, which is a joint department of the two Houses. There is also an external member. The proportion of women is 17%. A new department, the Department of Finance, will be launched on 1 April 2011. The Head of the new department will sit on the Management Board, and her presence will alter the proportion of women on the Board to 29%  (b) The proportion of women who are heads of the four current departments of the House is zero and will rise to 20% of five departments in April. If PICT is included, the figures are 17.5% and 33% respectively,  (c) Currently, there are 27 Directors/Heads of Office. Ten of these (43%) are women. If PICT is included, the figure is 37%.

EDUCATION

Academies

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the merits of federations of schools established in order to support bids for academy status; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 3 February 2011
	There is evidence to suggest that a strong school with good systems and a clear model of school improvement can provide effective help to an underperforming school (Potter, 2004; DfES, 2005; Hill, 2008; Hill and Matthews, 2008, Hill 2010). Federations or chains of schools can also make savings by pooling resources and through economies of scale. For example they are more likely to be able to employ fully qualified and experienced financial and business managers and can share back office administration and maintenance services (Hill, 2010).

Academies: Wigan

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on which dates meetings were held between officials of his Department and Abraham Guest high school in Wigan to discuss the conversion of that school to academy status since May 2010.

Nick Gibb: Only one meeting has been held between Department of Education officials and representatives of Abraham Guest high school to discuss the conversion of the school to academy status. This meeting was held on 18 November 2010 at Winstanley college, Wigan. All subsequent discussions have primarily been held over the telephone.

Adoption

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to improve the process of adoption.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 31 January 2011
	 The Government expect the adoption system to work effectively for all looked after children who would benefit from this permanence option, and wants to see all local authorities performing at the level of the best. That is why I have set up a Ministerial Advisory Group on Adoption to provide expert advice on a range of practical proposals to improve and share practice. In November 2010, I wrote to directors of Children's Services and lead members to ask them to do everything possible to increase the number of children appropriately placed for adoption, and to improve the speed with which decisions are made.
	On 22 February I published revised statutory guidance on adoption. This is an important element in the Government's programme of reform to support adoption agencies in removing barriers to adoption and reducing delay. The guidance takes account of recent case law and reflects key messages from the "Adoption Research Initiative", which provides a robust evidence base for adoption practice, including permanence planning, family finding and matching of children and prospective adopters. I also recently hosted a roundtable event with a group of adopters to hear about their experiences of the adoption process and how it can be improved.
	In addition, the Family Justice Review is considering what changes are needed to the system including how best to ensure that delays in determining the outcomes of court applications are kept to a minimum. The interim report is due at the end of March and the final report in October 2011. In the meantime, I will continue to discuss with the president of the Family Division how cases can be better handled in the context of the current legal framework.

Apprentices: Greater London

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding he has allocated for level 2 apprenticeships in 2011-12 in the  (a) London borough of Camden and  (b) London borough of Brent.

John Hayes: The total apprenticeships budget for the 2011-12 financial year is £799 million for 16 to 18-year-olds; £605 million for those aged 19 and over(1) and our indicative forecast is to fund over 360,000 apprenticeship places in the 2011/12 academic year. The levels that these places are at will be determined by the level of skills employers actually need in their business.
	The Apprenticeships Programme is demand led. Government do not plan apprenticeship places by level or set specific allocations for apprenticeships by local authority. Government provide funding to the Skills Funding Agency on a national basis and forecasts the overall number of places that may be afforded.
	We rely on employers and providers to work together to offer sufficient opportunities to meet local demand, taking advantage of the greater freedoms and flexibilities that we have created in the further education system. Funding allocations to colleges and providers reflect the pattern of employer demand and funding is moved in year to reflect local need. The National Apprenticeship Service works with local providers and employers in the London borough of Camden and the London borough of Brent to make Apprenticeship places available where there is demand.
	(1) 16-18 figures: 16-19 Funding Statement, YPLA (December 2010); 19+ figures: Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth, BIS (November 2010)

Children: Poverty

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the number of children living in severe poverty in Brighton, Pavilion constituency.

Maria Miller: I have been asked to reply.
	There is no official or agreed definition of severe poverty.
	Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living. HBAI presents a range of low-income thresholds (based on 50, 60 and 70% of median income). As they are based on survey data, child poverty estimates published in HBAI only allow breakdowns to Government office region and analysis by parliamentary constituency is not possible.

Children's Centres: Greater London

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding he has allocated to Sure Start children's centres in the  (a) London borough of Camden and  (b) London borough of Brent and whether such funding will be ring-fenced.

Sarah Teather: Until March 2011 funding allocated to local authorities for children's centres was included within the wider Sure Start Early Years and Childcare Grant (SSEYCG). From 2011-12, funding will be included within the new Early Intervention Grant. This is a new un-ring-fenced and un-hypothecated funding stream which from 1 April 2011 will give local authorities greater flexibility to target resources strategically and intervene early to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. The Government have ensured there is enough money within the Early Intervention Grant to retain a network of Sure Start Children's Centres, accessible to all but identifying and supporting families in greatest need. Final local authority EIG allocations for 2011-12 and 2012-13 were announced on 25 February.
	The following table sets out the London borough of Brent and Camden's SSEYCG allocations for 2010-11 and their final Early Intervention Grant allocations for 2011-12 and 2012-13.
	
		
			  Total allocations for Brent and Camden 2010-13 
			   SSEYCG capital and revenue allocation 2010-11  Early Intervention Grant 2011-12 final allocations  Early Intervention Grant 2012-13 final allocations 
			 Brent 7,501,688 14,226,439 14,715,338 
			 Camden 4,512,976 13,021,973 13,258,413

Children's Centres: Sefton

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department provided for children's centres in Sefton in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11; and how much such funding will be provided in 2011-12.

Sarah Teather: Funding allocated to local authorities for Sure Start Children's Centres (until March 2011) was included within the wider Sure Start Early Years and Childcare Grant (SSEYCG) Main Revenue and Main Capital funding blocks. Local authorities have the freedom to decide on how to allocate this funding in line with local priorities.
	Sefton local authority's SSEYCG allocations for 2008-11 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Sefton SSEYCG capital and revenue allocation 2008-11 
			   Capital  Revenue  Total 
			 2008-09 241,213 2,480,716 2,721,929 
			 2009-10 495,770 3,270,084 3,765,854 
			 2010-11 312,670 3,679,674 3,992,344 
		
	
	The Early Intervention Grant is a new un-ring-fenced and un-hypothecated funding stream which from 1 April 2011 will give local authorities greater flexibility to target resources strategically and intervene early to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. The Government have ensured there is enough money within the Early Intervention Grant to retain a network of Sure Start Children's Centres, accessible to all but identifying and supporting families in greatest need. Final allocations for the Early Intervention Grant for 2011-12 and 2012-13 were published on 25 February 2011-the allocation for Sefton local authority for 2011-12 is £11,370,590.

Class Sizes

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average adult-pupil ratio is in  (a) primary,  (b) secondary,  (c) special and  (d) all schools in England.

Nick Gibb: The following table provides the pupil:adult ratio in local authority maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England, January 2010.
	
		
			  Table 15: Pupil:adult ratios( 1, 2)  in local authority maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools. Years: January 2010. Coverage: England 
			  2010  Ratios 
			  Nursery schools  
			 PAR within-schools(3) 4.7 
			   
			  Primary schools  
			 PAR within-schools(3) 11.4 
			   
			  Secondary schools  
			 PAR within-schools(3) 10.4 
			   
			  Special schools  
			 PAR within-schools(3) 2.0 
			   
			  Total  
			 PAR within-schools(3) 10.4 
			 (1) For statistical purposes only, pupils who do not attend both morning and afternoon at least five days a week are regarded as part-time. Each part-time pupil is treated as 0.5 FTE. (2) Excludes pupil referral units, other non education establishments, city technology colleges and academies. (3) The PAR is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of all teachers and support staff employed in schools, excluding administrative and clerical staff.  Source: School Census

Curriculum

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects of the flexibility available to  (a) schools and  (b) academies in relation to the national curriculum on (i) science and (ii) sex and relationship education.

Nick Gibb: One of the freedoms academies and free schools enjoy is over the curriculum they deliver, provided it is a balanced and broadly based curriculum. The new model funding agreement requires academies and free schools to teach English, mathematics and science and to make provision for the teaching of religious education. Beyond that, they will be able to choose a curriculum that engages and meets the needs of their pupils.

Departmental Food

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the proportion of the seafood procured for  (a) his Department and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible that (i) was on the Marine Conservation Society's list of fish to avoid and (ii) complied with sustainability standards indicated by inclusion in either the Marine Conservation Society's list of fish to eat or by the list of fish species certified by the Marine Stewardship Council in (A) 2010 and (B) 2011 to date.

Tim Loughton: From April 2009, fish procured by the Department's catering supplier is sourced to the Marine Conservation Society' s traffic light categorisation of Green , Amber and Red with the department's core supplies falling into the Amber category of fish from a sustainable source of which 28% meets Marine Stewardship Council criteria. In our single arm's length body with catering and restaurant facilities, the catering supplier has MSC accreditation with all fish supplied meeting their standards.

Departmental Telephone Services

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what provision his Department  (a) makes to and  (b) supports for advice lines providing a service to grandparents and extended families.

Sarah Teather: The Department currently funds a range of online and telephone support services, all of which are available to grandparents and extended families. These are largely provided by voluntary sector organisations. The Department is currently running a procurement process to award new contracts to organisations to deliver family support services over 2011-12. The contracts and grants for most of the current services are being extended to ensure continuity of service to families for the duration of the current procurement exercise. The procurement documentation is publicly available on the DFE website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/policiesandprocedures/procurement/a0037/current-contracts-advertised-by-the-department

Discretionary Learner Support Fund

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what mechanism he plans to put in place to allocate the discretionary learner support fund according to region; and whether he plans to make provision to distribute the fund according to assessed need.

Nick Gibb: We are considering the replacement for EMA, including how the funds should be allocated to ensure that support is targeted on those young people who most need support to allow them to continue in education.

Discretionary Learner Support Fund

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to permit further education colleges to distribute funds from the Discretionary Learner Support Fund to students aged 19 and over.

Nick Gibb: The current discretionary learner support funds for students aged 16-18 are funded by the Department for Education, whereas discretionary learner support funds for students aged 19 and above are funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	From September 2011 the EMA scheme and the current discretionary learner support scheme for students aged 16-18 will be replaced, with a package of financial support which is more closely targeted on those who face the greatest financial barriers to participation.

Education: Personal Income

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of potential links between income inequality and educational achievement.

Nick Gibb: After prior attainment, poverty is the single most important factor in predicting a child's future life chances. Deprivation remains associated with poorer average performance at every stage of education; for example:
	by the end of key stage 1, the likelihood of a pupil eligible for free school meals achieving national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics are one-third those of a child who is not eligible;
	last year, at the end of key stage 2, just 56% of children eligible for free school meals achieved national expectations in English and mathematics combined, compared to 77% of children who were not eligible.
	the likelihood of a child who is eligible for free school meals achieving five or more good GCSEs, including English and mathematics, are less than one third those of a child who is not eligible; and
	a pupil from a non-deprived background is more than twice as likely to go on to study at university as their deprived peers.
	Raising the attainment of children from low income families is at the heart of our school improvement policy. That is why we are introducing the pupil premium from April of this year, providing an additional £430 for every disadvantaged child to help ensure they reach their full potential We are also establishing a £110 million Education Endowment Fund which will fund bold and innovative ways of raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in underperforming schools.
	In the early years, we are gradually extending 15 hours per week of free early education and care to all disadvantaged two year olds from 2012-13, at a total cost of around £300 million a year. The Early Intervention Grant will not only fund universal programmes and activities, but also specialist services where more intensive support is needed. In the first two years of the Early Intervention Grant, £2,212 million (in 2011-12) and £2,297m (in 2012-13) is being allocated to local authorities in England.

EU Strategic Framework for Education and Training

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the  (a) likely effect on and  (b) cost to his Department of the implementation of the EU Strategic Framework for Education and Training; which policies of his Department will be affected; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: There are no direct policy implications for the Department from the implementation of the EU Strategic Framework for Education and Training. In line with Articles 165 and 166 of the EU Treaty, the Strategic Framework recognises that each member state is responsible for its own education and training systems and that action at European Union level is limited to supporting member states. The Strategic Framework also proposes changes to the Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC), the process through which mutual understanding and sharing of good practice is promoted across member states. We have not quantified the direct cost to the Department of involvement in the Strategic Framework. It involves a small amount of staff time in fulfilling the UK's contribution, through attending relevant meetings and providing information on UK policies. The Government will continue to examine the proposals from the Strategic Framework, to ensure that they support and supplement domestic policy, and do not increase EU competence in the field of education.

Faith Schools

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the  (a) faith and  (b) year of foundation is of each faith school in England.

Nick Gibb: Faith schools make up around 34% of all maintained mainstream schools in England (37% primary, 19% secondary)-almost 7,000 faith schools from a total of just over 20,000 maintained mainstream schools. The majority represent the major Christian faiths.
	The information requested has been placed in the House Libraries.

Free School Meals

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the compatibility with provisions of  (a) domestic and  (b) EU legislation of his policy on (i) provision of free school meals and (ii) provision of such meals to those in further education or sixth form colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Free school meals are provided to eligible pupils aged up to 18 years in schools maintained by a local authority, as defined in the Education Act 1996. Pupils aged 19 or over are also eligible as long as their course of study began before attaining the age of 18. Pupils attending FE or Sixth Form Colleges that are not part of a school do not therefore qualify for free meals and the legislation has never applied to these pupils.
	There is no provision in either domestic or EU law that is incompatible with the current arrangements in England for free school meals.

Free Schools

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent to date on supporting and promoting applications for free schools.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 3 February 2011
	The Department does not provide direct support, either financial or in the form of other resources, to free schools applicants until their proposal has been approved by Ministers to proceed to business case and plan stage.
	At application stage, support to groups or individuals is provided by the New Schools Network (NSN), an independent charitable organisation that is funded by the Department. To date the cost of the grant provided to NSN has been £130,359.

Free Schools

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what communications and media support his Department is providing for free school groups.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 3 February 2011
	 At the free schools conference on 29 January, we ran a communications training workshop. This 50 minute session was run at no cost by an individual who had previously set up a school and therefore was well placed to provide practical advice to proposers. Otherwise, individual free school proposers are responsible for their own communications and engagement with their communities.

Free Schools

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the average number of pupils in free schools;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of pupils who will attend each free school  (a) in their first year of operation and  (b) at planned full operating levels.

Nick Gibb: As at 8 March 2011, 40 proposals for free schools have been approved to business case and plan stage. It is not possible at this point to provide details of pupil numbers for these schools as this will vary widely and be dependent on the admissions process.

Free Schools

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much he expects to provide in capital funding  (a) for each free school and  (b) in total.

Nick Gibb: Every free school is different and the capital costs will vary between projects.
	We have allocated £50 million in 2010-11 to meet the capital needs of free schools. Beyond that, provision forms part of the overall spending review settlement for schools. Allocations for free schools have yet to be decided and will be dependent in part on the conclusion of the capital review which is due to report shortly.

GCSE

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to encourage more schools to offer GCSEs in  (a) religious education and  (b) geology.

Nick Gibb: We believe that schools are best placed to decide which individual subjects and which GCSEs, or other qualifications, they offer, in order to meet the needs of their pupils.
	We have recently introduced a new performance measure, the English Baccalaureate, to encourage more schools to offer a core of academic subjects-English, maths, science, history or geography and a modern or ancient foreign language. There is space for pupils to study religious education, and geology, alongside the English Baccalaureate. Religious Education continues to be a compulsory subject at key stage 4.

Music: Education

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects on music education in schools of reductions in funding for music services.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 14 February 2011
	On 7 February 2011,  Official Report, column 8, in response to Darren Henley's review of music education, the Secretary of State for Education announced that the overall level of funding in 2011-12, £82.5 million, is at the same level as that which went to local authorities for music education in 2010-11. We have protected money to the front line so that all children have a chance to receive a high quality music education, and we shall be setting out our plans, later this year, in a National Plan for Music Education.
	Consistent with our education strategy set out in the Schools' White Paper 'The Importance of Teaching', we are safeguarding the very important front line delivery of music education services and providing smaller central funding for three important projects-Sing Up, In Harmony, and to develop a new programme with Teach First to develop a programme for the top music graduates.

Music: Education

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to announce the allocation of the Music Standards Fund to local authorities.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 11 February 2011
	Local authorities were notified of their individual funding allocations for music education on 1 March 2011.

National Curriculum in England Review

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  when his Department expects to  (a) complete and  (b) implement in schools the findings of the second phase of its review of the curriculum covering non-core subjects;
	(2)  for which non-core subjects his Department plans to draft programmes of study.

Nick Gibb: With regard to non-core subjects, the first phase of the review will consider which, if any, national curriculum subjects in addition to English, mathematics, science and PE should be part of the national curriculum in future, and at which key stages. We will announce decisions on these issues, following consultation, in spring 2012.
	In phase two we will produce draft programmes of study for any subjects other than English, mathematics, science and PE which will either be part of the national curriculum or have non-statutory programmes of study in future. We will publish proposals on these issues for consultation in early 2013 and announce final decisions in spring 2013. The new curriculum for subjects covered in phase two will be available to schools by September 2013, with teaching in maintained schools from September 2014.

Numeracy: Literacy

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how much his Department has spent on training and support for the  (a) Every Child Counts and  (b) Every Child a Reader programmes in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10; and how much it plans to spend in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13;
	(2)  how many posts for trainers for the  (a) Every Child Counts and  (b) Every Child a Reader programmes will be funded in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of pupils to participate in the  (a) Every Child Counts and  (b) Every Child a Reader programmes in the academic year (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.

Nick Gibb: The breakdown of spending on the Every Child Counts (ECC) and Every Child a Reader (ECaR) programmes is as follows:
	
		
			   ECC (£ million)  ECaR (£ million) 
			 2008-09 2.8 15.7 
			 2009-10 14.6 28.8 
			 2010-11(1) 30.1 42.3 
			 (1)2010-11 includes an element of forecast for the final month of the financial year. The number of funded Teacher Leader (trainer) posts in 2010-11 for Every Child Counts is 61, with an additional 28 in training, and for Every Child a Reader 79, with an additional 21 in training. 
		
	
	Funding for 2011-12 onwards is now included in the Dedicated Schools Grant, for individual schools to decide how best to spend. In addition, we will provide funding to facilitate the transition to open procurement of the Every Child a Reader and Every Child Counts programmes.
	The number of pupils who have participated in the Every Child Counts and Every Child a Reader programmes in 2010-11 is 22,532 and 29,020 respectively. Future estimates for pupil participation are unavailable as these decisions will be taken at a local level.

Nursery Education: Fees and Charges

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on allowing nurseries to charge top-up fees in respect of free entitlement hours.

Sarah Teather: Fairness is at the heart of the Government's agenda. Local authorities have a statutory duty-under section 7 of the Childcare Act-to secure nursery places free of charge, effectively prohibiting top-up fees. This ensures that there are no barriers to accessing the benefits of nursery education for all children, but particularly the most disadvantaged. Parents are free to purchase additional hours and services outside of the hours for which providers receive funding from local authorities.
	The Government are listening to the views of early years providers and their representative bodies concerning funding issues and in response are seeking to improve the efficiency with which funding is distributed to providers, through the early years single funding formula, as well as through reducing bureaucratic burdens on providers who deliver free nursery education. Providers around the country are offering an excellent service to parents and their children within existing funding levels.

Parents: Fines

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many parents of children in age group  (a) 5 to 11 and  (b) 12 to 16 were fined as a result of their children not attending school in each local education authority in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: Information from the Ministry of Justice court proceedings database show the number of defendants (parents/including carers) fined at all courts for offences relating to failing to ensure their children's regular school attendance in England and Wales for the years 2005 to 2009 can be viewed in table 1, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries. Data are held centrally at police force area level and not local education authority area. The information held does not identify the age group of the child.
	The Department also collects and publishes data at local authority level for England on the number of penalty notices (fines) issued to parents for the offence of failing to ensure their children's regular school attendance. The information held does not identify the age group of the child. Data provided in table 2, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries relates to each of the last five academic years from 2004 to 2009 for all local authorities in England. Fuller details are also available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/behaviour/parents/a0010302/parental-responsibility-data

Physics and Mathematics: Teachers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent progress he has made in increasing the number of physics and mathematics teachers.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has written to the Training and Development Agency for Schools with the details of the initial teacher training place allocations and training bursary amounts for academic year 2011/12. Places for secondary mathematics and physics have increased as a proportion of the total allocation. In line with our ambition to recruit more of the best mathematics and physics graduates, we will be offering training bursaries at the highest rate of £9,000.
	The data from the School Workforce Census will enable the Department to monitor progress annually on the recruitment of mathematics and physics teachers and ensure resources and initiatives are targeted appropriately. From April this year information from the Census will be published on the qualifications and deployment of secondary school teachers as part of the School Workforce Statistical First Release.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many school children in  (a) Harlow,  (b) Essex and  (c) England he expects to receive his proposed pupil premium in its first year of operation.

Rory Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much he estimates each local authority will receive under the pupil premium in 2011-12.

Nick Gibb: The pupil premium for 2011-12 will be allocated to local authorities and schools with pupils that are known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM) as recorded on the January 2011 School Census, Pupil Referral Unit Census and Alternative Provision Census. Each pupil known to be eligible for free school meals will attract £430 of funding which will go to the school or academy via the local authority or YPLA if the pupil is in a mainstream setting or will be managed by the responsible local authority if the pupil is in a non-mainstream setting.
	Local authorities will also attract the looked-after child pupil premium for 2011-12 which will be allocated to local authorities for pupils who at some point in the year to 31 March 2011 were looked after continuously for at least six months, and who were aged four to 15 on 31 August 2010 as recorded on the April 2011 local authority return. Each pupil will attract £430 of funding which will go to the responsible local authority who will pass it to maintained schools for pupils who have been in care for six months or more in the year to 31 March 2011.
	The amounts allocated in 2011-12 will depend on the numbers of FSM and looked-after pupils recorded on the January 2011 censuses, so it is not possible to give precise figures for 2011 and subsequent years.
	It is however possible to estimate how much schools and local authorities will receive based on the figures from the January 2010 census. Tables that contain these estimates, disaggregated by local authority, region and constituency have been placed in the Libraries.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will extend the pupil premium to pupils aged above 15 years.

Nick Gibb: The 16-18 funding formula for 2010/11 already has an element that ensures disadvantaged students attending schools and colleges, or who are funded as an apprentice, receive a funding premium. The formula has two elements which provide disadvantaged students with a funding supplement. These are the funding linked to the disadvantage uplift within the formula and that for additional learning support. Details of the 16-18 funding formula for schools and colleges can be found on the website of the Young People's Learning Agency at
	http://readingroom.ypla.gov.uk/ypla/funding_rates_ and_formula_v2.2.pdf
	and that for apprenticeships on the Skills Funding Agency website at
	http://readingroom.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/sfa/Apprenticeship-funding-requirements-2010_11-v1.pdf
	The funding for disadvantage and additional education support has been increased to almost £770 million in total in 2011/12, an increase of more than one-third from 2010/11. We will continue to look at how we can better target support for disadvantaged 16 to 18-year-olds as part of the review of funding for 2012 onwards to make the system more transparent and fair.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Rory Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many  (a) children eligible for free school meals,  (b) looked-after children and  (c) children of members of the armed forces in each local authority area he estimates will be eligible for the pupil premium in 2011-12.

Nick Gibb: The pupil premium for 2011-12 will be allocated to local authorities and schools with pupils that are known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM) as recorded on the January 2011 School Census, Pupil Referral Unit Census and Alternative Provision Census. Each pupil known to be eligible for free school meals will attract £430 of funding which will go to the school or academy via the local authority or YPLA if the pupil is in a mainstream setting or will be managed by the responsible local authority if the pupil is in a non-mainstream setting.
	Local authorities will also attract the looked-after child pupil premium for 2011-12 which will be allocated to local authorities for pupils who at some point in the year to 31 March 2011 were looked after continuously for at least six months, and who were aged four to 15 on 31 August 2010 as recorded on the April 2011 local authority return. Each pupil will attract £430 of funding which will go to the responsible local authority who will pass it to maintained schools for pupils who have been in care for six months or more in the year to 31 March 2011.
	The amounts allocated in 2011-12 will depend on the numbers of FSM and looked-after pupils recorded on the January 2011 censuses, so it is not possible to give precise figures for 2011 and subsequent years. We aim to extend the coverage of the pupil premium from 2012-13 onwards to pupils who have previously been known to be eligible for free school meals. We intend to consult on this, including the question of which deprivation indicator to use, in the summer.
	Although it is not possible to give precise figures for 2011 and subsequent years it is possible to estimate how much schools and local authorities will receive based on the figures from the January 2010 census. Tables that contain these estimates, disaggregated by local authority, region and constituency have been placed in the Libraries.

Schools: Admissions

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has undertaken an equality impact assessment in respect of his proposal to remove the requirement for local authorities to establish an admissions forum.

Nick Gibb: The proposal to remove the requirement on local authorities to establish admissions forums for their area is part of our drive to remove bureaucracy from the system. That does not mean that they cannot be established if the admission authorities in that area feel it is in their interests to do so on a voluntary basis. Our changes to the admissions system seek to make the system simpler, fairer and more accessible. We want to give parents more choice in the system and ensure schools are held to account locally rather than centrally. Our proposals were first signalled in the Schools White Paper, "The Importance of Teaching", for which an equalities impact assessment was published. It can be found at:
	http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/s/schools%20white%20paper%20overarching%20equia.pdf

Schools: Assessments

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the levels of attainment in examinations of pupils at specialist sports  (a) schools and  (b) colleges in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 6 December 2010
	The levels of attainment in GCSE and A-level examinations of students in state-funded mainstream schools and in further education colleges in the last three years are set out in the tables.
	
		
			  Percentage of students at the end of key stage 4 achieving 5 or more GCSE grades A*-C or equivalent including English and mathematics GCSEs, by specialism 
			  Type of school  2008 (%)  Number  of schools  2009 (%)  Number  of schools  2010 (%)  Number  of schools 
			 Specialist sports schools 45.3 416 48.1 421 52.8 416 
			 Schools with other specialisms 51.7 2,337 53.9 2,365 58,4 2,345 
			 Non-specialist schools (including academies) 34.1 406 37.1 392 42.5 391 
			 All state funded mainstream schools 49.2 3,159 51.7 3,178 56.2 3,152 
			  Notes: 1. Coverage is students at the end of key stage 4 in state-funded mainstream secondary schools that were published in the School Performance Tables in the Year in question. 2. Schools are classed as sports specialist if either their main or second specialism is sport. 
		
	
	
		
			  Average point scores achieved in A-level or equivalent qualifications by candidates at the end of advanced level study, by institution specialism 
			  Type of school  2008  Number  of schools  2009  Number  of schools  2010  Number  of schools 
			 Specialist sports schools 711.7 237 720.1 246 734.8 253 
			 Schools with other specialisms 770.2 1,409 773.1 1,470 787.2 1,482 
			 Non-specialist schools(including academies) 676.6 236 690.8 250 683.5 274 
			 All state funded mainstream schools 758.3 1,882 762.3 1,966 774.3 2,009 
			 Further education colleges 685.7 357 684.5 347 684.1 344 
			 All state funded schools and colleges 722.4 2,239 722.8 2,313 727.2 2,353 
			  Notes: 1. Coverage is students aged 16-18 who are at the end of A/AS level study or equivalent in state funded mainstream secondary schools and in FE colleges. 2. Specialism allocated to state funded mainstream schools in the same way as key stage 4. No specialisms associated with FE colleges.

Schools: Closures

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what the  (a) name,  (b) local authority area and  (c) book value was of each (i) primary and (ii) secondary school in England that closed in the last eight years;
	(2)  what the  (a) name,  (b) local authority and  (c) book value is of each potential school site which meets the requirements contemplated in (i) paragraph 1 and (ii) paragraph 2 of Schedule 13 of the Education Bill.

Nick Gibb: holding answers 7 March 2011
	 A table setting out the available information on school closures in the last eight years has been placed in the House Libraries. The Department does not hold any information on the book value of the land relating to these closures. The table only includes those maintained schools which have physically closed and not been replaced. It does not include any schools that have been closed only to be replaced by new schools.
	Any land, in the eight years since the school closed, which had not been in use by another school, or which had not been disposed of with the Secretary of State's approval under either schedule 35a of the Education Act 1996 or section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 in the case of playing fields, would meet the requirements specified in paragraph 1 of schedule 13 of the Education Bill.
	It is not possible to supply information about the availability of specific school sites in the future, since this will depend on future decisions, principally by local authorities. Paragraph 1 of schedule 13 to the Education Bill applies to a situation in which local authority land may become available because a school has closed or is about to close, or is otherwise recognised as surplus to the needs of a school. Paragraph 2 of schedule 13 applies to land specified by the local authority as the site for a proposed new school under the arrangements for new schools in the Bill, and is dependent on future decisions by local authorities that new schools are needed. Decisions on school closures and the disposal of surplus land will normally be taken by local authorities (unless a school is in special measures, in which case a closure can be instigated by the Secretary of State).

Schools: Information and Communications Technology

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the inclusions and recommendations of the Becta report on school management information systems and value for money in 2010.

Nick Gibb: The report: "School Management Information Systems and Value for Money 2010" was published by Becta on their website and released to key stakeholders, including local authorities, on 29 October 2010. The Department has reviewed and welcomed the majority of the findings of the report. Much of the Becta advice and guidance is for local authorities, but the Department continues to work to implement its parts of the recommendations, particularly to support improved interoperability between school Management Information Systems (MIS), to support improved competition, to ensure that MIS procurements are compliant with EL) and UK procurement law, to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, and to help schools and local authorities to achieve value for money in these procurement areas, for example by reducing licensing costs.

Schools: Sports

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2011,  Official Report, column 164W, on schools: sports, what steps his Department will take to ensure that the numbers of links between secondary schools and clubs will continue to rise.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 7 February 2011
	 I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 January 2011,  Official Report, column 164W, on the steps the Government are taking to encourage links between schools and sports clubs.

Schools: Sports

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department allocated to school sport in  (a) Bolton South East constituency and  (b) Bolton in each of the last two financial years; and how much such funding he plans to allocate in each of the next two financial years.

Tim Loughton: Funding for school sport over the last two years has been passed to schools through the network via the hub school of each partnership. There are no hub schools of school sport partnerships within the Bolton south east constituency. School sport funding for schools in Bolton over this period was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  School sport partnership  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Bolton north east-Thornleigh Salesian 301,287 265,009 
			 Bolton west-St Joseph's 266,939 236,036 
		
	
	In addition, in academic years 2011/12 and 2012/13, all secondary schools in Bolton and in the Bolton south east constituency will receive funding to release a PE teacher for one day a week to enable them to create more opportunities for competitive sport for their pupils and for pupils in their local primary schools. Further details, including the amount of funding that each school will receive, will be announced shortly.

Schools: Transport

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the terms of reference for his proposed review of school transport, including transport for 16 to 18-year-olds; and on what date he expects the review to be completed.

Nick Gibb: The main focus of the review will be on considering how best practice can be shared across all local authorities and how the savings being made by some local authorities could be replicated more widely. We will make further announcements in due course.

Schools: Vocational Guidance

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the provision of careers guidance for young people prior to the introduction of the proposed all-age careers service.

Nick Gibb: We announced in December 2010 that the Early Intervention Grant would enable local authorities to continue to support vulnerable young people and would also support their transitional responsibilities in respect of careers guidance. Decisions as to how such services should be provided are a matter for local authorities, taking account of their statutory responsibilities.

Sixth Form Education

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many maintained schools there were  (a) with and  (b) without a sixth form there were (i) nationally and (ii) in each local authority area in academic year 2009-10.

Nick Gibb: Information on the number of state-funded secondary schools with or without a sixth form in England and each local authority area is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  State-funded secondary schools( 1, 2) : Number of schools with and without a sixth form( 3) -January 2010 Government office region and local authority area in-England 
			   State-funded secondary schools( 1, 2) 
			   Number of schools with a sixth form( 3)  Number of schools without a sixth form  Total state-funded secondary schools 
			  England 1,867 1,466 3,333 
			 
			  North East 70 128 198 
			 Darlington 1 6 7 
			 Durham 14 22 36 
			 Gateshead 9 2 11 
			 Hartlepool 1 4 5 
			 Middlesbrough 2 6 3 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 11 3 14 
			 North Tyneside 8 7 15 
			 Northumberland 15 37 52 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 3 8 11 
			 South Tyneside 1 8 9 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 2 11 13 
			 Sunderland 3 14 17 
			 
			  North West 192 264 456 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 3 7 10 
			 Blackpool 1 7 8 
			 Bolton 5 12 17 
			 Bury 1 13 14 
			 Cheshire East 13 7 20 
			 Cheshire West and Chester 15 5 20 
			 Cumbria 26 11 37 
			 Halton 2 6 8 
			 Knowsley 2 5 7 
			 Lancashire 16 66 82 
			 Liverpool 30 1 31 
			 Manchester 6 18 24 
			 Oldham 4 11 15 
			 Rochdale 6 8 14 
			 Salford 4 11 15 
			 Sefton 14 7 21 
			 St Helens 5 5 10 
			 Stockport 1 13 14 
			 Tameside 2 14 16 
			 Trafford 10 8 18 
			 Warrington 6 6 12 
			 Wigan 2 18 20 
			 Wirral 18 5 23 
			 
			  Yorkshire and The Humber 175 141 316 
			 
			 Barnsley 2 11 13 
			 Bradford 28 1 29 
			 Calderdale 12 2 14 
			 Doncaster 14 3 17 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 17 1 18 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 2 12 14 
			 Kirklees 6 25 31 
			 Leeds 34 4 38 
			 North East Lincolnshire 4 7 11 
			 North Lincolnshire 3 10 13 
			 North Yorkshire 25 22 47 
			 Rotherham 8 8 16 
			 Sheffield 10 17 27 
			 Wakefield 5 13 18 
			 York 5 5 10 
			 
			  East Midlands 182 114 296 
			 Derby 10 4 14 
			 Derbyshire 28 19 47 
			 Leicester 4 14 13 
			 Leicestershire 18 36 54 
			 Lincolnshire 36 24 60 
			 Northamptonshire 37 4 41 
			 Nottingham 7 7 14 
			 Nottinghamshire 42 3 45 
			 Rutland 0 3 3 
			 
			  West Midlands 227 174 401 
			 Birmingham 40 35 75 
			 Coventry 19 0 19 
			 Dudley 3 18 21 
			 Herefordshire 5 10 15 
			 Sandwell 12 6 18 
			 Shropshire 8 14 22 
			 Solihull 8 6 14 
			 Staffordshire 47 21 68 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 3 14 17 
			 Telford and Wrekin 5 9 14 
			 Walsall 19 0 19 
			 Warwickshire 18 18 36 
			 Wolverhampton 18 0 18 
			 Worcestershire 22 23 45 
			 
			  East  o f England 236 184 420 
			 Bedford 7 15 22 
			 Central Bedfordshire 10 23 33 
			 Cambridgeshire 13 17 30 
			 Essex 46 32 78 
			 Hertfordshire 76 6 82 
			 Luton 1 11 12 
			 Norfolk 29 23 52 
			 Peterborough 11 0 11 
			 Southend-on-Sea 11 1 12 
			 Suffolk 30 48 78 
			 Thurrock 2 8 10 
			 
			  London 294 134 428 
			 
			  Inner London 86 65 151 
			 Camden n/a n/a n/a 
			 City of London 9 0 9 
			 Hackney 6 6 12 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4 5 9 
			 Haringey 7 5 12 
			 Islington 5 5 10 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2 3 5 
			 Lambeth 9 4 13 
			 Lewisham 7 7 14 
			 Newham 2 13 15 
			 Southwark 8 8 16 
			 Tower Hamlets 9 6 15 
			 Wandsworth 10 1 11 
			 Westminster 8 2 10 
			 
			  Outer London 208 69 277 
			 Barking and Dagenham 9 0 9 
			 Barnet 18 3 21 
			 Bexley 12 4 16 
			 Brent 14 1 15 
			 Bromley 17 0 17 
			 Croydon 9 13 22 
			 Ealing 12 1 13 
			 Enfield 17 1 18 
			 Greenwich 7 6 13 
			 Harrow 8 2 10 
			 Havering 5 13 18 
			 Hillingdon 17 1 18 
			 Hounslow 14 0 14 
			 Kingston upon Thames 10 0 10 
			 Merton 4 4 8 
			 Redbridge 17 0 17 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 3 8 
			 Sutton 14 0 14 
			 Waltham Forest 4 12 16 
			 
			  South East 310 183 493 
			 Bracknell Forest 6 0 6 
			 Brighton and Hove 4 5 9 
			 Buckinghamshire 34 0 34 
			 East Sussex 9 18 27 
			 Hampshire 7 64 71 
			 Isle of Wight 5 14 19 
			 Kent 91 9 100 
			 Medway 17 1 18 
			 Milton Keynes 12 0 12 
			 Oxfordshire 27 7 34 
			 Portsmouth 0 10 10 
			 Reading 7 0 7 
			 Slough 11 0 11 
			 Southampton 1 11 12 
			 Surrey 31 22 53 
			 West Berkshire 10 0 10 
			 West Sussex 22 16 38 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 8 5 13 
			 Wokingham 8 1 9 
			 
			  South West 181 144 325 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 10 3 13 
			 Bournemouth 4 6 10 
			 Bristol. City of 10 11 21 
			 Cornwall 14 17 31 
			 Devon 20 17 37 
			 Dorset 16 18 34 
			 Gloucestershire 25 16 41 
			 Isles of Scilly n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Somerset 6 4 10 
			 Plymouth 15 1 16 
			 Poole 7 2 9 
			 Somerset 9 30 39 
			 South Gloucestershire 15 1 16 
			 Swindon 3 8 11 
			 Torbay 6 2 8 
			 Wiltshire 21 8 29 
			 n/a = Not applicable. No schools of this type (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Schools with eight or more sole and dual main registered pupils aged 16 to 15 as at 31 August 2009.  Source:  School Census

Sixth Form Education

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils were enrolled in maintained schools  (a) with and  (b) without a sixth form (i) nationally and (ii) in each local authority area in academic year 2009-10.

Nick Gibb: Information on the number of pupils in state-funded secondary schools with or without a sixth form in England and each local authority area is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  State-funded secondary schools( 1,2) : number of pupils( 3)  in schools with and without a sixth form-January 2010 
			  Government office region and local authority area in England 
			   State-funded secondary schools( 1,2) 
			   Number of pupils in schools with a sixth form( 4)  Number of pupils in schools without a sixth form  Total pupils in state-funded secondary schools 
			  England 2,153,800 1,124,690 3,278,490 
			 
			  North East 84,580 85,250 169,830 
			 Darlington 1,146 4,764 5,910 
			 Durham 15,240 15,239 30,479 
			 Gateshead 11,345 1,332 12,677 
			 Hartlepool 1,749 4,505 6,254 
			 Middlesbrough 2,599 5,692 8,291 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 14,630 1,360 15,990 
			 North Tyneside 9,114 4,324 13,438 
			 Northumberland 17,246 12,050 29,296 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 3,004 6,418 9,422 
			 South Tyneside 1,536 7,542 9,078 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 2,810 8,567 11,377 
			 Sunderland 4,161 13,453 17,614 
			 
			  North West 215,700 219,750 435,450 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 3,310 6,158 9,468 
			 Blackpool 1,211 6,754 7,965 
			 Bolton 7,932 11,027 18,959 
			 Bury 186 10,939 11,125 
			 Cheshire East 16,832 5,508 22,340 
			 Cheshire West and Chester 17,524 4,154 21,678 
			 Cumbria 27,381 6,266 33,647 
			 Halton 2,618 4,927 7,545 
			 Knowsley 2,368 5,137 7,505 
			 Lancashire 18,698 50,761 69,459 
			 Liverpool 30,150 848 30,998 
			 Manchester 6,997 16,407 23,404 
			 Oldham 5,427 10,617 16,044 
			 Rochdale 6,576 6,411 12,987 
			 Salford 2,329 8,652 10,981 
			 Sefton 13,946 5,261 19,207 
			 St Helens 6,819 3,916 10,735 
			 Stockport 716 13,999 14,715 
			 Tameside 2,224 12,109 14,333 
			 Trafford 11,170 5,402 16,572 
			 Warrington 8,723 4,633 13,356 
			 Wigan 3,156 15,966 19,122 
			 Wirral 19,405 3,899 23,304 
			 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 216,440 116,800 333,250 
			 Barnsley 2,105 10,836 12,941 
			 Bradford 33,889 731 34,620 
			 Calderdale 14,312 1,312 15,624 
			 Doncaster 17,528 3,014 20,542 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 21,803 843 22,646 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 2,506 11,239 13,745 
			 Kirklees 7,730 18,188 25,918 
			 Leeds 42,242 3,809 46,051 
			 North East Lincolnshire 4,665 5,021 9,686 
			 North Lincolnshire 2,437 7,568 10,005 
			 North Yorkshire 27,168 13,144 40,312 
			 Rotherham 12,067 7,424 19,491 
			 Sheffield 12,823 17,770 30,593 
			 Wakefield 9,052 12,083 21,135 
			 York 6,116 3,820 9,936 
			 
			  East Midlands 216,620 78,830 295,440 
			 Derby 12,542 3,801 16,343 
			 Derbyshire 35,915 13,035 48,950 
			 Leicester 4,224 13,738 17,962 
			 Leicestershire 23,390 22,232 45,622 
			 Lincolnshire 36,728 12,649 49,377 
			 Northamptonshire 44,962 3,089 48,051 
			 Nottingham 9,144 5,798 14,942 
			 Nottinghamshire 49,713 2,107 51,820 
			 Rutland 0 2,376 2,376 
			 
			  West Midlands 236,750 128,440 365,180 
			 Birmingham 44,341 25,282 69,623 
			 Coventry 20,766 0 20,766 
			 Dudley 2,399 17,379 19,778 
			 Herefordshire 3,997 6,071 10,068 
			 Sandwell 13,890 6,564 20,454 
			 Shropshire 7,701 9,521 17,222 
			 Solihull 9,966 7,104 17,070 
			 Staffordshire 46,631 11,031 57,662 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 3,110 10,143 13,253 
			 Telford and Wrekin 3,959 7,886 11,845 
			 Walsall 20,845 0 20,845 
			 Warwickshire 20,078 13,813 33,891 
			 Wolverhampton 15,498 0 15,498 
			 Worcestershire 23,565 13,644 37,209 
			 
			  East of England 269,280 121,380 390,660 
			 Bedford 7,680 7,227 14,907 
			 Central Bedfordshire 11,594 10,870 22,464 
			 Cambridgeshire 18,205 14,541 32,746 
			 Essex 59,515 29,601 89,116 
			 Hertfordshire 79,023 2,185 81,208 
			 Luton 1,437 10,859 12,296 
			 Norfolk 32,908 17,035 49,943 
			 Peterborough 13,380 0 13,380 
			 Southend-on-Sea 12,432 601 13,033 
			 Suffolk 30,961 21,676 52,637 
			 Thurrock 2,146 6,781 8,927 
			 
			  London 344,680 108,790 453,460 
			 
			  Inner London 89,900 51,510 141,420 
			 Camden 9,910 0 9,910 
			 City of London n/a n/a n/a 
			 Hackney 5,418 3,133 8,551 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3,673 3,381 7,054 
			 Haringey 8,593 4,617 13,210 
			 Islington 4,111 3,979 8,090 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2,264 1,339 3,603 
			 Lambeth 7,468 2,460 9,928 
			 Lewisham 8,779 5,400 14,179 
			 Newham 2,677 15,749 18,426 
			 Southwark 7,427 5,699 13,126 
			 Tower Hamlets 10,345 4,438 14,783 
			 Wandsworth 11,058 452 11,510 
			 Westminster 8,181 867 9,048 
			 
			  Outer London 254,770 57,270 312,050 
			 Barking and Dagenham 13,215 0 13,215 
			 Barnet 19,506 2,020 21,526 
			 Bexley 16,805 3,189 19,994 
			 Brent 17,862 115 17,977 
			 Bromley 22,648 0 22,648 
			 Croydon 10,039 11,235 21,274 
			 Ealing 16,689 1,184 17,873 
			 Enfield 21,715 543 22,258 
			 Greenwich 9,318 5,180 14,498 
			 Harrow 8,747 1,455 10,202 
			 Havering 5,754 10,921 16,675 
			 Hillingdon 18,009 598 18,607 
			 Hounslow 16,684 0 16,684 
			 Kingston upon Thames 10,025 0 10,025 
			 Merton 4,232 4,338 8,570 
			 Redbridge 21,649 0 21,649 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 6,658 6,658 
			 Sutton 16,894 0 16,894 
			 Waltham Forest 4,981 9,837 14,818 
			 
			  South East 353,250 157,550 510,790 
			 Bracknell Forest 6,368 0 6,368 
			 Brighton and Hove 6,522 5,769 12,291 
			 Buckinghamshire 34,929 0 34,929 
			 East Sussex 11,361 16,386 27,747 
			 Hampshire 9,560 60,572 70,132 
			 Isle of Wight 5,654 5,809 11,463 
			 Kent 94,874 6,341 101,215 
			 Medway 19,156 439 19,595 
			 Milton Keynes 16,737 0 16,737 
			 Oxfordshire 31,320 5,345 36,665 
			 Portsmouth 0 9,090 9,090 
			 Reading 6,413 0 6,413 
			 Slough 10,071 0 10,071 
			 Southampton 1,121 9,238 10,359 
			 Surrey 39,120 20,628 59,748 
			 West Berkshire 12,134 0 12,134 
			 West Sussex 29,628 15,694 45,322 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 8,138 2,153 10,291 
			 Wokingham 10,141 83 10,224 
			 
			  South West 216,510 107,920 324,420 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 10,497 2,093 12,590 
			 Bournemouth 5,008 4,764 9,772 
			 Bristol, City of 9,362 8,154 17,516 
			 Cornwall 18,021 13,936 31,957 
			 Devon 27,516 15,224 42,740 
			 Dorset 20,318 9,484 29,802 
			 Gloucestershire 28,875 11,051 39,926 
			 Isles of Scilly n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Somerset 8,407 4,352 12,759 
			 Plymouth 17,535 688 18,223 
			 Poole 7,471 989 8,460 
			 Somerset 10,266 21,010 31,276 
			 South Gloucestershire 17,518 921 18,439 
			 Swindon 4,051 8,383 12,434 
			 Torbay 6,864 1,860 8,724 
			 Wiltshire 24,799 5,007 29,806 
			 n/a = Not applicable. No schools of this type. (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Includes sole and dual main registered pupils. (4) Schools with eight or more pupils aged 16 to 18 as at 31 August 2009.  Note: National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.  Source: School Census

Supplementary Schools: Attendance

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate his Department has made of the number of pupils attending supplementary schools; and what assessment he has made of the effects of such attendance on mainstream educational attainment.

Nick Gibb: In February 2010, the Department published research on the impact of supplementary schools by the London metropolitan university and the National Centre for Social Research. This research estimated that between 3% and 8% of all pupils aged five to 16 were in contact with supplementary schools at any one time.
	Qualitative research as part of this project showed a perception amongst parents, local authority and staff, that attendance at supplementary schools increased children's attainment at mainstream school, improving their confidence and pupils' interest, motivation and engagement with education.

Sure Start: Bolton

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has withdrawn any previously-allocated Sure Start funding in  (a) Bolton South East constituency,  (b) Bolton and  (c) England for (i) 2010-11 and (ii) the next four financial years.

Sarah Teather: The Early Intervention Grant is a new un-ring-fenced and un-hypothecated funding stream which from 1 April 2011 will give local authorities greater flexibility to target resources strategically and intervene early to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. The Government have ensured there is enough money within the Early Intervention Grant to maintain a network of Sure Start Children's Centres, accessible to all but identifying and supporting families in greatest need. To date only the EIG funding for the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13 has been announced and is only available by local authority-the figures for Bolton and all other local authorities in England are available at:
	http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xls/e/early%20intervention%20grant%20-%20final%20allocations%20methodology.xls
	Up to the end of the 2010-11 financial year funding for Sure Start Children's Centres has been made through the Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant (SSEYCG).
	The base allocations for Sure Start Children's Centres for the financial year 2010-11 remain as announced at the start of the 2008-11 comprehensive spending review period. For Bolton and England those figures are as follows:
	
		
			   Bolton  England 
			 2010-11 Revenue Allocation-Children's Centres and SSLPs 7,605,837 1,135,147,893 
			 2010-11 Capital Allocation-Children's Centres 391,912 100,999,997 
		
	
	The Department does not allocate funding at constituency level. It is for local authorities to determine how best to allocate available funding within their areas. The allocations for all local authorities can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/a0071955/sure-start-early-years-and-childcare-grant-and-aiming-high-for-disabled-children-ahdc-grant-la-funding-allocations-for-2010-11
	Published allocations for Sure Start Children's Centres are not individually ring-fenced within the main revenue block of the SSEYCG and therefore are notional. Local authorities have the freedom to spend the available funding flexibly within that block to best meet local objectives and priorities, subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Memorandum of Grant letter.
	In addition to the capital base allocation the Department had been able to offer some carry-forward of unspent SSEYCG capital funding from prior years. Given the unprecedented fiscal deficit the Department restricted carry-forward of SSEYCG capital (which includes Sure Start Children's Centres) to cases where funding was required for the completion of the children's centres programme, or where there was evidence of a contractual commitment either with a building contractor or for goods.
	The Department's calculations of carry-forward are predicated on levels of expenditure from prior years. We are awaiting audited financial returns from a number of local authorities, at which point carry-forward for all local authorities will be finalised.

Teachers: Pensions

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the status of any pension fund liabilities for non-teaching staff employed in schools that become academies.

Nick Gibb: Academy Funding Agreements require Academy Trusts to offer Local Government Pension scheme (LGPS) membership to all non-teaching staff. The Commercial Transfer Agreement (CTA), which includes LGPS arrangements, sets out the Department's policy that liabilities are calculated on the basis of the academy's staff profile of eligible employees.

Teachers: Vetting

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reasons he has made it his policy to make the list of barred teachers publicly available.

Nick Gibb: Under proposals in the Education Bill, there will be a list of teachers who are barred from the profession. As under the current General Teaching Council for England system of regulation, we propose that employers and members of the public will be able to access information on the list of those who have been prohibited from teaching. We want employers and the public to have confidence in the profession and to ensure that those who have been barred from teaching are not re-employed as teachers. By providing public access to the list, employers will able to check that any potential employees have not been barred and the members of the public more generally would be able to assure themselves that whoever is teaching their children has not been barred.

Vocational Guidance

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 288-89W, on vocational guidance, if he will make available additional funding to prevent redundancies in local authority and Connexions services  (a) before 31 March 2011 and  (b) to the establishment of the All-Age Careers Service.

Nick Gibb: The new Early Intervention Grant will provide a substantial funding stream (a total of £2,222 million in 2011-12 and £2,307 million in 2012-13) with new flexibility to enable local authorities to act more strategically and target spending early, where it will have the greatest impact. The organisation of services is for local authorities to determine, in the light of their statutory responsibilities. Any changes that may be necessary in the current provision of careers guidance services will be for local authorities to work through, involving, where appropriate, Connexions service providers.

Voluntary Organisations: Finance

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the monetary value was of the strategic grants his Department has made to third sector organisations in each year since 2007-08; and how much funding he plans to provide through such grants in  (a) 2011-12,  (b) 2012-13,  (c) 2013-14 and  (d) 2014-15.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 25 October 2010
	There is no single definition of what is meant by the term "strategic grant" and it is therefore not possible to give a comprehensive answer. The voluntary sector receives money directly from the Department and its arm's length bodies, through the money we give to local authorities and from services commissioned by schools. However, some examples of grants that have in the past been given for purposes that could be deemed strategic include the Children, Young People and Families Grant Fund 2010-11 which allocated some £12 million in grants for capacity building.
	On 25 February, Ministers announced the results of the new DfE grants competition which is worth some £120 million over two years. As part of that we have started a new strategic partners programme which will fund 5 strategic partners to work with us, and we are also awarding funding for capacity building. Those two aspects of the grants programme are worth some £22 million over two years.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question 26511, on student financial support in further education, tabled on 22 November 2010 for ordinary written answer.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 17 January 2011
	A response to the hon. Member's question was issued on 9 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 1107-08W.

Young Apprentices Scheme: Education Business Partnership

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to announce the local authority funding arrangement for the  (a) Young Apprenticeship Scheme and  (b) Education Business Partnership.

Nick Gibb: We plan to announce decisions shortly. I will write to my hon. Friend.

Young People: Unemployment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of young people aged between 16 and 19 years did not attend school or were not in employment in each  (a) local authority area and  (b) constituency in each year for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: Estimates of participation in education, training and employment for those aged 16 to 18 are published by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June and can be found on the Department's website:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000938/index.shtml
	The SFR also contains additional tables that show the number and proportion of young people who participate in education and work based training in each local authority. However, these estimates only cover 16 and 17-year-olds, and they do not include information on young people's employment.
	Connexions Services collect information on the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in each local authority area in England. These have been published annually on the DfE website since 2006:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/16to19/participation/neet/a0064101/strategies-for-16-to-18-year-olds-not-in-education-employment-or-training-neet
	Figures for 2006-09 are shown in the following table. Figures for 2010 are due to be published on 31 March 2011. These cannot be broken down by parliamentary constituency.
	
		
			  Proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training 
			  Percentage 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009 
			  England 7.7 6.7 6.7 6.4 
			  
			  South East 5.6 5.3 5.7 5.8 
			 Bracknell Forest 6.4 5.2 6.9 6.8 
			 Brighton and Hove 10.9 9.3 7.8 8.8 
			 Buckinghamshire 3.2 2.7 3.7 4.6 
			 East Sussex 8.0 7.7 7.2 7.3 
			 Hampshire 5.2 5.2 6.3 5.7 
			 Isle of Wight 5.9 6.0 6.0 6.9 
			 Kent 6.4 5.2 4.7 4.9 
			 Medway 6.1 5.6 9.5 5.8 
			 Milton Keynes 6.5 5.8 5.9 5.8 
			 Oxfordshire 4.8 4.2 6.3 6.5 
			 Portsmouth 9.9 9.6 9.9 11.1 
			 Reading 7.3 8.4 8.6 6.5 
			 Slough 5.4 5.8 5.3 6.0 
			 Southampton 9.4 9.4 9.4 9.7 
			 Surrey 3.3 3.4 3.4 4.1 
			 West Berkshire 5.2 4.4 4.7 5.2 
			 West Sussex 4.5 4.4 5.4 5.9 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 4.2 4.1 5.1 5.5 
			 Wokingham 4.8 5.0 6.0 6.3 
			  
			  London 7.5 6.4 5.8 5.3 
			 Barking and Dagenham 11.4 9.7 8.9 7.9 
			 Barnet 4.8 4.6 4.1 3.8 
			 Bexley 6.9 6.5 5.3 5.0 
			 Brent 6.7 5.7 4.6 4.6 
			 Bromley 5.0 4.7 4.6 4.2 
			 Camden 7.5 6.5 6.5 5.5 
			 City of London 1.1 1.0 0.6 0.6 
			 Croydon 8.1 7.6 7.1 6.9 
			 Ealing 7.8 5.9 5.4 4.9 
			 Enfield 7.0 7.2 6.4 6.1 
			 Greenwich 12.0 9.6 9.5 6.6 
			 Hackney 13.1 11.7 10.0 7.4 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 8.4 7.0 6.0 5.6 
			 Haringey 12.5 10.3 6.8 6.8 
			 Harrow 5.3 2.7 3.2 2.9 
			 Havering 6.1 5.8 5.2 4.7 
			 Hillingdon 7.0 5.7 5.3 5.4 
			 Hounslow 8.3 6.4 5.5 4.7 
			 Islington 8.6 9.5 7.7 7.3 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 7.9 5.8 5.4 5.0 
			 Kingston 3.4 3.2 3.2 3.4 
			 Lambeth 10.5 9.8 7.9 7.6 
			 Lewisham 6.7 6.1 5.5 4.9 
			 Merton 6.7 6.1 5.8 5.6 
			 Newham 10.8 8.7 7.7 6.7 
			 Redbridge 4.8 4.3 4.2 4.1 
			 Richmond 4.0 2.6 3.4 3.5 
			 Southwark 11.7 10.0 8.8 8.7 
			 Sutton 4.8 4.6 4.4 4.4 
			 Tower Hamlets 10.9 8.2 6.7 6.0 
			 Waltham Forest 6.3 5.4 4.7 4.5 
			 Wandsworth 6.0 4.5 4.4 4.3 
			 Westminster 6.5 5.3 5.0 4.6 
			  
			  East of England 6.8 5.8 6.2 5.9 
			 Bedford Borough - - - 5.6 
			 Bedfordshire 7.2 6.5 5.8 - 
			 Cambridgeshire 5.4 5.0 5.2 5.4 
			 Central Bedfordshire - - - 6.3 
			 Essex 6.9 5.6 6.7 6.9 
			 Hertfordshire 4.6 4.0 5.0 3.6 
			 Luton 9.4 7.2 7.3 6.5 
			 Norfolk 7.9 6.2 5.2 5.4 
			 Peterborough 9.5 8.4 9.1 8.8 
			 Southend 7.0 5.9 7.0 5.6 
			 Suffolk 8.4 7.2 7.9 7.4 
			 Thurrock 7.8 7.4 7.2 6.6 
			  
			  South West 6.0 5.5 5.7 5.6 
			 Bath and NE Somerset 4.2 3.9 3.9 4.2 
			 Bournemouth 8.5 8.4 8.2 6.7 
			 Bristol 7.8 7.3 7.9 7.7 
			 Cornwall 6.1 5.8 6.1 5.7 
			 Devon 6.0 5.9 6.4 5.7 
			 Dorset 6.8 5.5 6.2 6.7 
			 Gloucestershire 4.6 4.0 3.8 4.0 
			 Isles of Scilly - - - - 
			 North Somerset 4.8 4.3 4.2 3.9 
			 Plymouth 7.4 6.8 7.4 6.7 
			 Poole 6.2 5.8 5.4 5.5 
			 Somerset 4.8 4.3 3.8 4.4 
			 South Gloucestershire 5.0 4.3 4.5 4.4 
			 Swindon 8.3 6.2 8.0 8.2 
			 Torbay 6.8 4.7 4.8 3.6 
			 Wiltshire 6.0 5.8 6.3 6.1 
			  
			  West Midlands 8.9 7.1 7.0 6.6 
			 Birmingham 11.4 7.7 8.1 7.7 
			 Coventry 8.7 6.8 6.7 6.9 
			 Dudley 6.4 5.6 5.3 4.9 
			 Herefordshire 5.5 5.4 5.8 5.9 
			 Sandwell 15.6 12.3 11.6 10.2 
			 Shropshire 5.2 4.5 5.2 4.7 
			 Solihull 8.0 6.0 6.0 6.1 
			 Staffordshire 7.6 5.8 5.3 5.1 
			 Stoke on Trent 16.1 13.3 11.9 9.8 
			 Telford and Wrekin 9.1 9.7 9.9 9.4 
			 Walsall 9.1 9.1 8.3 8.1 
			 Warwickshire 6.7 5.8 5.8 5.6 
			 Wolverhampton 10.8 9.3 8.2 7.6 
			 Worcestershire 5.5 4.6 5.3 5.5 
			  
			  East Midlands 6.4 5.6 5.4 5.5 
			 Derby City 8.4 7.9 7.2 7.1 
			 Derbyshire 7.1 6.5 6.7 7.5 
			 Leicester City 9.9 8.9 8.4 7.6 
			 Leicestershire County 5.5 4.6 4.4 3.9 
			 Lincolnshire 5.0 4.1 4.4 4.8 
			 Northamptonshire 6.4 5.6 5.4 5.2 
			 Nottingham 8.0 6.0 5.5 5.4 
			 Nottinghamshire 4.9 4.5 4.3 4.7 
			 Rutland 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.9 
			  
			  Yorks and the Humber 9.3 8.2 7.9 7.8 
			 Barnsley 12.3 8.1 7.9 7.9 
			 Bradford 9.8 9.4 8.8 8.6 
			 Calderdale 9.7 8.2 8.3 8.7 
			 Doncaster 11.5 8.2 7.7 7.5 
			 East Riding 5.6 5.8 4.0 5.6 
			 Kingston upon Hull 14.1 11.3 10.6 9.5 
			 Kirklees 9.7 8.8 9.7 9.4 
			 Leeds 9.1 10.0 9.5 8.2 
			 North East Lincolnshire 9.8 6.6 6.4 6.3 
			 North Lincolnshire 9.2 7.3 6.2 9.2 
			 North Yorkshire 4.8 3.8 4.8 4.4 
			 Rotherham 10.8 9.2 6.9 7.9 
			 Sheffield 10.5 9.5 8.5 8.5 
			 Wakefield 10.6 9.8 10.2 9.3 
			 York 5.9 3.8 4.2 4.3 
			  
			  North West 8.9 7.9 7.8 7.3 
			 Blackburn-Darwen 7.4 7.6 7.2 6.7 
			 Blackpool 8.8 7.3 7.0 6.7 
			 Bolton 12.7 11.8 10.5 10.6 
			 Bury 8.0 6.5 6.4 5.6 
			 Cheshire 5.4 4.7 5.4 - 
			 Cheshire East - - - 5.6 
			 Cheshire West and Chester - - - 5.4 
			 Cumbria 5.8 9.5 5.0 4.5 
			 Halton 11.8 11.5 13.2 10.2 
			 Knowsley 13.7 15.0 14.4 10.6 
			 Lancashire County 7.7 7.3 6.6 7.1 
			 Liverpool 13.2 11.5 10.4 8.7 
			 Manchester 11.4 9.5 10.1 9.5 
			 Oldham 8.8 7.7 7.1 7.2 
			 Rochdale 12.1 10.9 10.6 10.2 
			 Salford 10.2 7.6 8.1 6.6 
			 Sefton 7.6 7.2 7.6 6.5 
			 St. Helens 10.0 8.5 8.1 7.5 
			 Stockport 8.8 6.9 7.1 7.5 
			 Tameside 9.1 8.1 8.1 7.8 
			 Trafford 7.3 6.6 6.3 5.4 
			 Warrington 7.0 5.8 7.2 5.6 
			 Wigan 9.9 8.2 8.5 7.1 
			 Wirral 10.0 9.5 9.1 9.1 
			  
			  North East 11.4 10.0 9.8 9.0 
			 County Durham 12.9 10.4 10.8 9.9 
			 Darlington 6.7 7.5 6.9 7.1 
			 Gateshead 12.3 10.4 10.2 8.8 
			 Hartlepool 11.1 8.5 7.9 7.4 
			 Middlesbrough 13.7 11.1 10.5 9.6 
			 Newcastle 9.4 9.3 8.5 7.8 
			 North Tyneside 11.4 8.8 9.0 8.1 
			 Northumberland 10.0 8.1 6.3 7.3 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 11.9 12.1 12.0 11.8 
			 South Tyneside 11.3 10.6 10.2 9.0 
			 Stockton on Tees 9.9 9.5 10.5 11.1 
			 Sunderland 13.3 12.8 13.2 9.5 
			  Source: CCIS

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Recall of Parliament

Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to publish his proposals to enable electors in a parliamentary constituency to recall their elected hon. Member.

Mark Harper: The Government are committed to bringing forward legislation to introduce a power, to recall Members of Parliament where they have engaged in serious wrongdoing. We are currently considering what would be the fairest, most appropriate and robust procedure.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Public Bodies

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information on costs including  (a) consultancy,  (b) interims,  (c) professional services,  (d) legal fees and  (e) advertising and marketing incurred by public bodies sponsored by his Department is collected centrally.

Bob Neill: holding answer 17 March 2011
	The Department's Finance Division do not currently collect data, at the level requested, from public bodies sponsored by the Department. However from 2011-12 under the new 'Single Administration budget' public bodies sponsored by the Department will be required to provide monthly monitoring information at a more detailed level.
	However, information on purchasing including  (a) consultancy,  (b) interims,  (c) professional services,  (d) legal fees and  (e) advertising and marketing incurred by public bodies sponsored by this Department is collected centrally by the Department for the annual Public Sector Procurement Expenditure Survey (PSPES).
	Spending over £500 on goods and services is published online by my Department and its arm's length bodies, as part of the new Government's transparency initiative.

EU Grants and Loans: North East

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether any staff dealing with European funding bids are to be transferred from One North East to his Department.

Bob Neill: holding answer 14 February 2011
	Yes. The existing ERDF staff working in One North East will be transferred to my Department by the beginning of July.

Local Government Finance

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he provides guidance to local authorities on the proportion of their top-tier budgets that should be held as a reserve over the comprehensive spending review period.

Bob Neill: I refer the right hon. Member to a letter sent by the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Andrew Stunell), to local authorities on 27 January 2011. A copy is available in the Library of the House.

Planning Permission: Halifax

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of planning applications in Halifax have been refused in the last 12 months.

Bob Neill: In the six months ending September 2010, Calderdale (the local authority of which Halifax is a part) refused 19% of all planning decisions. As the latest published information is for July to September 2010 the most recent information we can provide is for the six months ending September 2010.

Rented Housing: Cannabis

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what responsibility landlords have to ensure that their tenants do not grow cannabis in rented premises.

Andrew Stunell: It is usual practice for both social and private sector landlords to have a standard term prohibiting criminal activity in their tenancy agreements. If the prohibition is breached, this allows them to seek possession of their property without having to wait for a conviction. Where a written tenancy agreement is not in place, as is possible in the private rented sector, a landlord can rely on ground 14 in schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 which allows possession where a tenant has been convicted of allowing their property to be used for an illegal purpose.
	Local authorities may introduce selective licensing schemes in areas suffering from significant and persistent antisocial behaviour. Landlords of privately rented properties within a selective licensing designation will have to be identified to the local authority as 'fit and proper' persons and will be required to take appropriate steps to deal with their tenants' antisocial behaviour. However, licensing is not designed to tackle serious criminal activity, which is a matter for the police.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Tax Credit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of ensuring that childcare is provided for families affected by the total cap on benefit entitlement.

Maria Miller: Support for child care costs is provided to those in receipt of working tax credit. We have announced that households which include a member that is in receipt of working tax credit will be exempt from the benefit cap. In this way the benefit cap will support our plans to ensure work pays.
	We are still considering the precise criteria for an equivalent exemption from the cap under universal credit. Support for childcare costs will be provided by an additional element as part of universal credit.

Child Tax Credit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of ensuring that childcare is provided for families affected by the total cap on benefit entitlement where childcare costs are covered up to  (a) 60%  (b) 70% and  (c) 80%

Maria Miller: Support for child care costs is provided to those in receipt of working tax credit. We have announced that households which include a member that is in receipt of working tax credit will be exempt from the benefit cap. In this way the benefit cap will support our plans to ensure work pays.
	We are still considering the precise criteria for an equivalent exemption from the cap under universal credit. Support for childcare costs will be provided by an additional element as part of universal credit.

Cold Weather Payments: Care Homes

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will issue guidance to residential care homes on best practice in distributing cold weather payments to their residents.

Steve Webb: People who live in residential care homes are not eligible for cold weather payments as they are not responsible for meeting additional heating costs during periods of extreme cold.

Crisis Loans

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on proposed amendments to payment on account provisions, what estimate he has made of the potential effect of his proposals on the number of successful applicants for the proposed loans to replace crisis loans.

Steve Webb: The amended payments on account provisions will provide a simple and efficient method for dealing with the issue of alignment once Social Fund crisis loans are abolished. We do not anticipate any significant effect on success rates due to this change.

Crisis Loans

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on amendments to payment on account provisions, when he expects to publish the details of his proposals for new arrangements for payments on account.

Chris Grayling: We intend that a new system of payments on account of benefit will replace interim payments of benefit, social fund crisis loan alignment payments and budgeting loans. Further detail will be made available during the parliamentary passage of the Welfare Reform Bill 2011.

Crisis Loans

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on proposals for the localisation of crisis loans and community grants; what estimate he has made of the potential effect of his proposals on the number of crisis loans; and what assumptions he has made of changes to the budget for crisis loans in each of the next five years.

Steve Webb: We plan to replace the current system of crisis loans from April 2013 with a combination of local provision (provided by local authorities in England) and payments on account of benefit administered by the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The current system of crisis loans is poorly targeted and open to abuse, for example some 17,000 people received 10 or more crisis loans in the last 12 months. As outlined in my written ministerial statement of 3 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 45-46WS, we have had to take urgent action to bring spending on crisis loans back under control and ensure we can continue to meet genuine need. We need to monitor the effects of these short-term measures before we are in a position to provide detailed estimates of volumes of demand for the reformed provision.
	The Government have committed to core funding (annually managed expenditure) of £178 million for the Discretionary Social Fund as a whole in each of the next four financial years. Funding in 2015-16 will be a matter for the next spending review. However, the budget for crisis loans is set on an annual basis and funding for the next financial year will be announced in a written ministerial statement shortly.

Disability Living Allowance

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on reform of disability living allowance, what estimate he has made of the likely cost to  (a) the NHS,  (b) the Department of Health,  (c) the Department for Communities and Local Government and  (d) local authorities of implementation of his proposed reforms.

Maria Miller: There is no information available on the number of DLA recipients accessing health services or local authority services. We would expect individuals to be accessing the relevant support services, regardless of benefit receipt and do not expect the reforms to DLA to significantly impact health or local authority services. As a consequence we do not envisage these changes generating additional costs for the NHS, Department of Health, Department for Communities and Local Government or local authorities.

Disability Living Allowance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what training his Department plans to give to people who will be making future assessments on the entitlement to disability living allowance for people with autism; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has for future requirements for people with autism to undergo assessments when claiming disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The Government proposes to replace disability living allowance with personal independence payment in 2013-14. We are considering the most appropriate delivery model for the personal independence payment assessment. No decisions have been taken, including how it will apply to existing DLA recipients. As part of its successful delivery, we know it will be vital to ensure that appropriate training and guidance are provided for assessors. It will also be important for the assessment process to be appropriate to individual's circumstances, including individuals with autistic spectrum disorders.
	Both I and departmental officials have met with the National Autistic Society to discuss our reform proposals and to seek their views on how the new benefit can best support those with autism. We agree with many of the points raised in the National Autistic Society's recent report on DLA reform, "Who benefits?", and we are looking closely at how these recommendations can be incorporated into its design. We are keen to continue to work with disabled people and their organisations as the detail of the assessment criteria and its operation is developed and tested, and we will also seek their involvement to ensure that we get the training and guidance right.

Disability Living Allowance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the application of his proposed reform of disability living allowance to people under the age of 16.

Maria Miller: Personal independence payment will replace disability living allowance for working-age (16-64) adults from 2013 and the new objective assessment is being designed to gather information about adult needs. We want to build on the experience of developing an assessment and applying it to new and existing claimants of working-age to inform our decisions about the arrangements for children. Therefore we will not consider extending personal independence payment to new claims from children or to children already receiving DLA, until we have had an opportunity to consider the effectiveness of the new arrangements for working age people.
	In developing the arrangements for children on DLA we also want to take account of ongoing work across Government. The Department for Education's Green Paper Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability, published on 10 March, sets out the Government's aspiration to move towards a single assessment process for a child's social care, health and special educational needs. The Department for Education plan to test the approach starting this year and we will look at the findings of the pathfinders to explore whether the single assessment process might also be used to support claims for the disability living allowance and personal independence payment.

Disability Living Allowance: Care Homes

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that people with disabilities living in care homes are able to exercise choice and control following the proposed removal of the mobility component of disability living allowance for those in residential care.

Maria Miller: The Government's policy with regard to care home residents and their eligibility for DLA mobility is to remove any overlap of funding. We remain committed to promoting control as well as supporting independence in line with existing regulations.
	Local authorities contract with care homes to meet the assessed needs of disabled people that fall within their eligibility criteria. Care homes must meet those contractual obligations and their conditions of registration which include promoting independent living.

Disability Living Allowance: Autism

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given to arrangements for the assessment for disability living allowance of people with autistic spectrum disorders who find face-to-face interviews stressful.

Maria Miller: We know it is essential that the assessment accurately captures the needs of disabled people with autistic spectrum disorders and this is something that the development group is considering. We are considering the delivery model for the personal independence payment assessment and no decisions have yet been taken, although we recognise the importance of ensuring that the assessment process is appropriate to individual's circumstances, including individuals with autistic spectrum disorders.
	Both I and departmental officials have met with the National Autistic Society to discuss our reform proposals and to seek their views on how the new benefit can best support those with autism. We will continue to work with disabled people and their organisations as the detail of the assessment criteria and its operation is developed and tested.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish his Department's plan for the transition to the Work Programme.

Chris Grayling: I published a written ministerial statement on 14 February 2011,  Official Report, column 68WS, announcing the Department's transitional arrangements from legacy provision to the new Work Programme. These arrangements will be managed at a local level in Contract Package Area to take account of the differences in each area.

Fit for Work

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what definition of fit for work his Department uses; what proportion of assessment of claimants of employment and support allowance resulted in an assessment of fitness to work in each of the last three years; what proportion of such assessments were appealed against in that period; and what proportion of such appeals was upheld.

Maria Miller: A person is found to be 'fit for work' if they do not have limited capability for work. They may be eligible to claim jobseeker's allowance.
	A key factor in determining eligibility for employment and support allowance (ESA) is the work capability assessment (WCA), which is used to determine a claimant's capability for work.
	Following a determination that the claimant has 'limited capability for work', they are placed in either the work related activity group or the support group.
	Those placed in the work related activity group are expected to undertake some work-related activity with a view to moving into employment in the short to medium term.
	Those people with the most severe health conditions or disabilities, are placed in the support group and are not expected to undertake work-related activity, although they can do so if they wish. It would not be realistic to expect them to move towards employment in the short-term.
	The information requested on the proportion of people found fit for work and the number of appeals against these decisions is published on a quarterly basis. The latest publication for January 2011 is available here:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_25012011.pdf
	Table 1 shows the volume and proportion of people found fit for work. Table 3 shows the number of appeals and the outcome of appeal. These tables are reproduced as follows:
	
		
			  Table 1: Monthly ESA on-flows by month of claim start and result of initial functional assessment 
			   Support group  Work related activity group  Fit for Work  Claim closed before assessment complete  Assessment still in progress  Total 
			  Month of claim start  No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  % 
			 October 2008 700 8 1,200 13 3,600 39 3,700 40 100 1 9,300 100 
			 November 2008 2,900 6 5,900 13 17,500 39 18,200 41 200 1 44,800 100 
			 December 2008 2,700 7 5,600 14 15,200 38 16,600 41 200 1 40,300 100 
			 January 2009 3,200 6 7,700 15 21,000 39 21,000 39 300 1 53,300 100 
			 February 2009 2,900 6 7,200 15 19,800 40 19,200 39 400 1 49,500 100 
			 March 2009 3,300 6 8,400 15 23,500 41 20,900 37 500 1 56,700 100 
			 April 2009 3,200 6 8,200 16 21,800 42 18,800 36 500 1 52,400 100 
			 May 2009 3,300 6 8,200 15 22,000 41 19,100 36 400 1 53,100 100 
			 June 2009 3,400 6 9,000 16 22,700 40 21,200 37 600 1 56,800 100 
			 July 2009 3,800 7 9,300 16 22,800 40 21,200 37 700 1 57,700 100 
			 August 2009 3,300 6 8,700 17 20,400 40 18,600 36 600 1 51,600 100 
			 September 2009 3,700 7 9,500 17 21,800 39 19,400 35 800 2 55,300 100 
			 October 2009 3,300 6 8,900 17 21,200 40 18,900 36 1,100 2 53,300 100 
			 November 2009 3,300 6 8,500 16 20,500 39 18,600 36 1,300 2 52,300 100 
			 December 2009 2,900 7 7,400 17 16,800 38 16,100 35 1,300 3 44,500 100 
			 January 2010 3,300 6 9,500 17 21,900 39 20,100 35 1,900 3 56,700 100 
			 February 2010 3,100 6 8,900 16 21,400 39 18,700 34 2,500 5 54,500 100 
			 March 2010 3,400 6 9,200 15 23,100 39 20,400 34 3,500 6 59,700 100 
			 April 2010 3,200 6 8,600 16 20,300 37 18,200 34 4,100 8 54,300 100 
			 May 2010 2,900 6 7,600 15 18,700 36 17,700 34 5,700 11 52,500 100 
			 Total 61,000 6 157,600 16 396,100 39 366,600 36 26,500 3 1,008,600 100 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: WCA appeals heard on 'Fit for Work' decision (initial assessments only) 
			  Month of claim start  Fit for Work  Appeals heard (to date)  Percentage Fit for Work with n appeal heard  (to date)  Decision in favour of appellant  DWP decision upheld  Percentage decision in favour of appellant  Percentage DWP decision upheld 
			 October 2008 3,600 1,500 41 600 900 40 60 
			 November 2008 17,500 7,200 41 2,800 4,400 40 60 
			 December 2008 15,200 6,400 42 2,700 3,800 41 59 
			 January 2009 21,000 8,900 42 3,600 5,300 40 60 
			 February 2009 19,800 8,100 41 3,300 4,800 41 59 
			 March 2009 23,500 9,400 40 3,800 5,500 41 59 
			 April 2009 21,800 8,300 38 3,400 4,900 41 59 
			 May 2009 22,000 8,000 36 3,200 4,600 40 60 
			 June 2009 22,700 7,600 33 3,100 4,500 41 59 
			 July 2009 22,800 7,100 31 2,700 4,300 39 61 
			 August 2009 20,400 5,600 28 2,200 3,500 39 61 
			 September 2009 21,800 5,300 24 2,000 3,300 37 63 
			 October 2009 21,200 4,100 19 1,400 2,600 35 65 
			 November 2009 20,500 2,800 14 900 2,000 31 69 
			 Total 273,900 90,300 33 35,800 54,600 40 60 
		
	
	Please note that due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, It is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard, particularly for the most recent cohorts of ESA claims, as can be observed from the declining percentage of people found fit for work who appeal in Table 3. These figures should be treated as emerging findings and not final at this stage.

Independent Living Fund

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the closure of the independent living fund on the number of people requiring residential care.

Maria Miller: The independent living fund is a discretionary trust and payments from the fund do not take precedence over the responsibility of the local authority to make an assessment of a user's needs. Local authorities have the statutory responsibility to provide social care support to their residents including the assessment of those requiring residential care.

Minister for Social Development

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what occasions he has met the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development since his appointment.

Chris Grayling: The Secretary of State and Ministers for the Department for Work and Pensions have met with the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development on the following occasions:
	
		
			  Minister  Date  Type of contact 
			 Secretary of State 2 September 2010 Meeting 
			 Minister for Employment 3 November 2010 Meeting 
			 Minister for Welfare reform 19 July 2010 and 29 November 2010 Meetings 
			 Minister for Disabled People 19 October 2010 Telephone call

New Deal Schemes and Future Jobs Fund

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Glasgow,  (b) Scotland and  (c) Great Britain participated in (i) New Deal programmes, (ii) the Flexible New Deal and (iii) the Future Jobs Fund in each of the last four financial years.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
	 New Deal
	The number of people who participated in New Deal programmes within Great Britain, Scotland and Glasgow over the last four financial years is detailed within the following tables:
	
		
			  Table 1: New Deal starters (spells) in Great Britain  by year (April to  March) 
			  Caseload (thousand) 
			  Great Britain  New Deal for Young People  New Deal for  25 plus  New Deal for Lone Parents  New Deal for Disabled People  New Deal for  50 plus( 1)  New Deal for Partners( 1) 
			 2006-07 186.50 104.80 134.36 63.41 16.98 2.25 
			 2007-08 166.22 124.98 184.7 56.97 11.73 2.03 
			 2008-09 195.4 102.69 186.49 36.94 9.26 2.18 
			 2009-10 191.79 79.9 143.03 36 6.25 2.25 
			 2010 (April to August) 33.13 39.81 64.96 14.09 2.41 1.04 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: New Deal starters (spells) in Scotland  by year (April to  March) 
			  Caseload (thousand) 
			  Scotland  New Deal for Young People  New Deal for  25 plus  New Deal for Lone Parents  New Deal for Disabled People  New Deal for  50 plus( 1)  New Deal for Partners( 1) 
			 2006-07 17.45 9.82 16.00 7.44 1.98 0.27 
			 2007-08 14.54 11.22 18.49 6.73 1.36 0.25 
			 2008-09 16.93 8.13 20.66 6.11 1.36 0.27 
			 2009-10 17.95 6.76 19.65 5.99 1.34 0.29 
			 2010 (April to August) 3.73 3.25 7.92 2.38 0.23 0.1 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: New Deal starters (spells) in Glasgow Local Authority by year (April-March) 
			  Caseload (thousand) 
			  Glasgow local authority  New Deal for Young People  New Deal for  25 plus  New Deal for Lone Parents  New Deal for Disabled People  New Deal for  50 plus( 1)  New Deal for Partners( 1) 
			 2006-07 2.24 - 2.24 1.53 0.16 0.02 
			 2007-08 1.59 - 2.50 1.52 0.17 0.01 
			 2008-09 1.88 - 3.15 1.83 0.17 - 
			 2009-10 3.56 - 3.16 1.52 0.05 - 
			 2010 (April to August) 0.86 0.01 0.81 0.51 0.02 - 
			 (1) Time series information is given as total number of spells on New Deal. A single claimant may have more than one spell on New Deal. The exception to this is ND50+ and ND for Partners where spells information is not available so individual level data are used instead. Total Starters on the New Deal (individuals) and Total Starters (spells)-where available-is also given.  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; '-' indicates nil or negligible, 'n/a' indicates information not available. 2. Latest data are to August 2010. 3. The latest New Deal figures will be affected by the introduction of the new Jobseekers Regime and Flexible New Deal (gradual implementation started from April 2009). More information is readily available on the employment programme statistics landing page: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/FND_tabtool_information.pdf 4. Starters on New Deals: The New Deal for Young People pilots began in January 1998 and full national roll-out occurred in April 1998. The New Deal for 25 plus programme was introduced in July 1998. The New Deal for Lone Parents was introduced in October 1998. Data on New Deal for Disabled People are available from July 2001 (programme was introduced in 1999). Data on New Deal 50 plus are available from January 2004 (Jobs) January 2004 (Starts, Leavers) (programme was introduced in April 2000). Data for New Deal for Partners are available from April 2004 (programme started in May 1999). 5. Employment Zones operate in Glasgow. Starters (spells) in the financial years 2006-07 to 2009-10 were respectively 5.73 thousand (2006-07); 5.77 thousand (2007-08), 5.55 thousand (2008-09) and 6.30 thousand (2009-10).  Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate 
		
	
	 Future Jobs Fund
	Since its inception in October 2009, there have been 75,310 people in Great Britain who have participated in the Future Jobs Fund. This includes 7,740 people in Scotland and 1,090 people in Glasgow constituencies(1).
	(1) Glasgow constituencies include: Glasgow Central, Glasgow East, Glasgow North, Glasgow North East, Glasgow North West, Glasgow South and Glasgow South West.
	 Notes
	1. Data source-DWP LMS opportunities evaluation database November2010.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	 Flexible New Deal
	The total number of starts to Flexible New Deal in Great Britain between October 2009 and August 2010 was 278,500. The number of starts in Scotland(1) covering the same period is 20,100. Lower geographical breakdowns are not available.
	(1) Contract Package Area is a geographical area designated by the Department of Work and Pensions for the delivery of FND provision by contracted providers. Scottish provision is defined here as 'Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde'.
	 Notes
	1. Sources: DWP Statistical Summary and Delivery Directorate Report.
	2. Data Source: Provider, Referrals and Payment (PRaP) management information system.
	3. Starts figures do not include starts from second or subsequent referrals to the same provider.
	4. Please see FND information note available on the following website for further information and definitions:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=ddfnd

Pensions: Financial Assistance Scheme

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Financial Assistance Scheme values for the Norman Longley Pension scheme will be made available to members of that scheme.

Steve Webb: The Financial Assistance scheme provides assistance to members of qualifying pension schemes that began to wind up underfunded between 1997 and (generally) 2005. Final calculations can only be done when the scheme has completed the wind-up process, but members reaching normal pension age are paid initial payments on account on the basis of the best information available to the Scheme Manager.
	As the administration of the FAS is the responsibility of the PPF, I have asked the Chief Executive of the PPF to write to the hon. Member directly about the current position of this scheme.

Personal Income

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average income was of those in the  (a) bottom 90%  (b) top five to 10%  (c) top 1% to 5%. and  (d) top 1% of income in each of the last 30 years.

Chris Grayling: Available data is given in the following tables. Estimates of median equivalised household disposable incomes are available in the households below average income (HBAI) series. This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. Data for the top 1% has not been provided due to the volatility of the data at the top end of the income distribution.
	
		
			  Table 1: Median weekly equivalised disposable household income for the bottom 90%, the top 5% to 10% and top 1 to 5% of the income distribution, before housing costs, 1979 to 2008-09, in 2008-09 prices 
			  £ 
			   Bottom 90%  Top 5%  to  10%  Top 1% to 5% 
			 1979 (UK) 241 484 599 
			 1981 (UK) 239 498 609 
			 1987 (UK) 270 637 832 
			 1988-89 (UK) 289 676 883 
			 1990-91 (UK) 298 735 979 
			 1991-92 (UK) 297 732 970 
			 1992-93 (UK) 297 724 969 
			 1993-94 - 1994-95 (UK) 304 729 1,003 
			 1994-95 (GB) 298 725 961 
			 1995-96 (GB) 299 726 973 
			 1996-97 (GB) 311 746 1,004 
			 1997-98 (GB) 319 765 1,024 
			 1998-99 (GB) 323 798 1,102 
			 1999-2000 (GB) 332 812 1,093 
			 2000-01 (GB) 343 838 1,156 
			 2001-02 (GB) 361 881 1,186 
			 2002-03 (UK) 367 887 1,181 
			 2003-04 (UK) 368 876 1,189 
			 2004-05 (UK) 372 884 1,217 
			 2005-06 (UK) 373 900 1,253 
			 2006-07 (UK) 376 912 1,256 
			 2007-08 (UK) 375 919 1,285 
			 2008-09 (UK) 381 927 1,287 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Median weekly equivalised disposable household income for the bottom 90% the top five to 10% and top 1% to 5% of the income distribution, after housing costs, 1979 to 2008-09, in 2008-09 prices 
			  £ 
			  Year  Bottom 90%  Top 5% to 10%  Top 1% to 5% 
			 1979 (UK) 190 389 490 
			 1981 (UK) 189 404 499 
			 1987 (UK) 213 516 685 
			 1988/89 (UK) 230 553 732 
			 1990-91 (UK) 235 592 820 
			 1991-92 (UK) 236 596 816 
			 1992-93 (UK) 235 597 823 
			 1993-94 - 1994-95 (UK) 239 610 843 
			 1994-95 (GB) 233 597 804 
			 1995-96 (GB) 234 602 821 
			 1996-97 (GB) 246 626 849 
			 1997-98 (GB) 252 637 873 
			 1998-99 (GB) 256 668 942 
			 1999-2000 (GB) 267 684 934 
			 2000-01 (GB) 280 716 993 
			 2001-02 (GB) 296 746 1,025 
			 2002-03 (UK) 305 767 1,039 
			 2003-04 (UK) 308 764 1,056 
			 2004-05 (UK) 313 783 1,087 
			 2005-06 (UK) 315 807 1,112 
			 2006-07 (UK) 318 813 1,142 
			 2007-08 (UK) 320 821 1,205 
			 2008-09 (UK) 318 827 1,173 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on households below average income. 2. The reference period for households below average income figures are single financial years. 3. Data is sourced from the Family Resources Survey, with earlier data sourced from the Family Expenditure Survey. 4. FES figures are for the United Kingdom, FRS figures are for Great Britain up to 2001-02, and for the United Kingdom from 2002-03. The reference period for FRS figures is single financial years. FES figures are two combined calendar years from 1990-91-1992-93 and two financial years combined for 1993-95. 5. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. In particular results for the top 10% of reported incomes are particularly vulnerable to sampling error and income measurement issues. 6. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'households below average income' series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living, equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development equivalisation factors. 7. Median incomes have been provided as well as mean incomes because the income distribution is skewed with some outliers with high incomes. 8. Weekly incomes have been rounded to the nearest pound sterling. 9. Figures have been presented on a before housing cost and an after housing cost basis. For before housing costs, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for after housing costs they are.  Source:  Households Below Average Income, DWP

Poverty: Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the funding of child poverty pilots after March 2011.

Maria Miller: The previous Government funded nine child poverty pilots to test a range of approaches to tackling child poverty. Funding for the pilots was agreed until March 2011. There are no plans to provide central funding beyond this, although pilot areas may decide to continue to fund pilot activities fully or partially themselves.
	The pilots are being evaluated. In most cases early or interim evaluation reports are available on the DFE and DWP websites. Final evaluation reports will be published in late spring 2011. An interim synthesis report summarising the content of the suite of child poverty pilots and early learning will be published shortly.
	Information from the pilots is being considered in the drafting of the national child poverty strategy and by local areas in producing their child poverty needs assessments and strategies.

Remploy: Durham

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the future of the Remploy factory in Spennymoor; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The coalition Government confirmed as part of the spending review that Remploy's operational budget for the five year modernisation plan from 20080-09 to 2012-13 remains protected at £555 million. An independent review of the support the Government provides to disabled people who want to work, including the support provided by Remploy, will be published in the summer.
	Remploy have recently offered voluntary redundancies in their factory business. This is a decision made by Remploy management to help the continuing operation of the businesses within that budget and to help ensure all employees have meaningful work. Remploy will ensure the voluntary redundancy programme does not adversely impact on continuing operations of their businesses and that no factory will close.

Social Fund

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the monetary value was of loans and grants from the Social Fund on  (a) white goods and  (b) bedding in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10; and how many recipients there were in each such category.

Steve Webb: The information is not available as for budgeting loans applicants are not asked to record in detail what they require the loan for. Quality assured data for community care grants spending is not available. For crisis loans we are not able to separate out all white goods and could only provide spend on cookers and washing machines. Other white goods are not captured on the system for example refrigeration equipment and so we cannot report on these goods as any figures given would be incomplete. The available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Crisis loan gross expenditure on bedding in Great Britain 
			   £ million 
			 2008-09 2.4 
			 2009-10 3.0 
			  Note: The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, it does not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System by end of relevant finance year.  Source: Department for Work and Pensions Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System

Social Security Benefits

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on the proposed benefit cap, how many people he expects to  (a) have benefits capped and  (b) lose benefits in each (i) region and (ii) local authority area under his proposals.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available as sample sizes are too small to yield reliable results for areas smaller than the overall impacts for Great Britain.
	If the benefit cap were applied in full we estimate that around 50,000 households in Great Britain will have their benefits reduced by the policy. We are looking at ways of easing the transition for families and providing assistance in hard cases.
	The benefit cap supports our plans to make work pay as when someone in a household enters work and begins to receive working tax credit they will be exempt from the new measure.
	We are putting in place the Work Programme, the biggest single welfare-to-work programme this country has ever seen, which will give unemployed people unprecedented levels of personal support to get them into the workplace.

Social Security Benefits

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on the proposed benefit cap, what proportion of those who are to lose benefit under his proposals he expects to take up work.

Chris Grayling: No assessment has been made of the likely number of people who will take up work as a result of the household cap on total benefit income.
	We are putting in place the Work Programme, the biggest single welfare-to-work programme this country has ever seen, which will give unemployed people unprecedented levels of personal support to get them into the workplace.
	The benefit cap supports our plans to make work pay as when someone in a household enters work and begins to receive working tax credit they will be exempt from the new measure.

Social Security Benefits

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on welfare services and housing benefit, what safeguards he plans to establish to prevent the inappropriate disclosure of customer information.

Steve Webb: Every organisation that processes personal information is subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act. Data controllers must ensure that any processing of personal data for which they are responsible complies with the Act. Failure to do so risks enforcement action, even prosecution, and compensation claims from individuals.
	Any information supplied for the purpose of providing welfare services under provisions in the Welfare Reform Bill will be subject to the offence provision that is also set out in the Bill. This makes it a criminal offence for a person to disclose information unlawfully, and mirrors the provisions that already apply in respect of social security information supplied to local authorities for housing and council tax benefit purposes.
	DWP has a range of measures in place to protect social security data that are currently supplied to local authorities for the administration of housing and council tax benefits. All authorities sign up to a Memorandum of Understanding, which governs the policy through which authorities access and use DWP customer data, and all information supplied electronically is sent securely via the Government Secure Network.
	All individuals with access to information are required to meet HMG Recruitment policies and sign confidentiality agreements with DWP. To provide further assurance DWP conducts risk-based checks to verify that accesses to customer information are in line with guidance.
	Where it is established customer information has been inappropriately disclosed individuals can face disciplinary action or prosecution. Proceedings may be taken against an authority or its officers if it can be shown that negligence contributed to inappropriate disclosure.
	DWP maintains absolute discretion to withdraw access granted to an individual who has inappropriately disclosed customer information. This situation may apply to an authority as a whole if it is considered it has not complied with the conditions set out in the Memorandum of Understanding.
	DWP plans to extend these practices to cover the proposed sharing of data in relation to welfare services and housing benefit.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many customers whose benefit entitlement was revised as a result of the trial reassessments of customers receiving incapacity benefit and income support in north east Scotland appealed against that decision; and what the outcome was of those appeals.

Maria Miller: The Department published early findings from this trial on the 10 February. These provisional findings covered the number of customers disallowed employment and support allowance and showed that 1,347 decisions had been made. Of these, the awards of 399 individuals did not qualify for conversion to employment and support allowance (30%).
	It is too early to provide final statistical information on appeals volumes and outcomes as not all customers have completed their reassessment journey and the number of customers who appeal will be subject to change as the trial continues to progress.
	More detailed statistical information will be published later this year once the trial is complete.

Squatting

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many buildings on his Department's estate were occupied by squatters in each year between 2006 and 2010; and on how many occasions his Department sought interim possession orders to remove squatters from such buildings in each of those years.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions has a twenty year private finance initiative contract with Telereal Trillium for the provision of fully serviced accommodation in return for a unitary charge. Under the terms of the contract accommodation is handed back to Telereal Trillium when it is vacated by the Department. The Department does not keep records of what happens to properties once they have been handed back.
	There are no records of any properties in use by the Department having been occupied by squatters between 2006 and 2010.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families currently receiving child tax credit would be excluded from universal credit by the proposed capital rules; and whether their entitlement will be protected in the period of transition.

Chris Grayling: Transitional protection will ensure that current recipients of child tax credits will not be cash losers from the introduction of universal credit, provided their circumstances remain the same.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish his Department's estimates of the combined effects of  (a) the proposed universal credit and  (b) other announced changes in welfare benefits on model benefit recipients.

Chris Grayling: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the latest universal credit impact assessment which is available on the Department for Work and Pensions website. The impact assessment includes analysis of the budget constraints for model benefit recipients in 2014-15. These include the impact of the universal credit and other announced changes in welfare benefits.

Universal Credit

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether self-employed persons will be eligible for universal credit payments.

Chris Grayling: Those in self-employment may be entitled to financial support from universal credit, like other employees, depending on their income and providing they meet the conditions of entitlement.

Universal Credit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost in 2011 prices of guaranteeing transitional protection to notional losers from the introduction of universal credit in  (a) 2014-15 and  (b) 2015-16.

Chris Grayling: The Government have made a commitment that there will be no cash losers as a result of the move to universal credit. At the point of change a comparison will be made between amount received in tax credits and/or benefits and the household entitlement under universal credit. If the universal credit entitlement is less, and no other circumstances have changed, a cash amount will be paid in order to make up the difference.
	This money is included within the universal credit spending envelope. Estimates on a year-by-year basis during the transition period are not available.

Universal Credit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what definition of change of circumstances will apply to determine whether claimants have transitional protection for universal credit after 2014.

Chris Grayling: The Government have made public our intention to provide transitional protection to any claimants who might receive less under the new system compared to their current entitlement. We are in the process of finalising the details in respect of this protection and will provide further information as soon as possible.

Universal Credit: Council Tax Benefits

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to integrate the payments of universal credit and council tax benefit in the next four years.

Chris Grayling: In developing its plans for a new system for localised council tax support delivered by local authorities, the Government have been clear that the changes should support the positive work incentives that will be introduced through the Government's plans on universal credit. Full consultation on the new system for localised support with council tax in relation to England will be undertaken in due course, led by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The Department for Communities and Local Government will also lead on discussing the devolved implications with the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Winter Fuel Payments: Berkshire

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims for winter fuel payments were made by households in  (a) Reading West constituency,  (b) Reading and  (c) Berkshire in each of the last 10 years.

Steve Webb: Most winter fuel payments are paid automatically without the need to claim. The information that is available is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Number of households receiving a winter fuel payment in Reading West parliamentary constituency 
			   Number 
			 2002-03 11,615 
			 2003-04 11,645 
			 2004-05 11,845 
			 2006-07 12,200 
			 2007-08 12,500 
			 2008-09 12,670 
			 2009-10 13,150 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of households receiving a winter fuel payment by unitary authorities in Berkshire. 
			   Bracknell Forest  West Berkshire  Reading  Slough  Windsor and Maidenhead  Wokingham 
			 2002-03 11,090 17,530 16,045 12,065 18,515 16,980 
			 2003-04 11,170 17,825 15,965 12,030 18,680 17,220 
			 2004-05 11,545 18,590 16,190 12,095 19,255 18,055 
			 2006-07 12,200 19,680 16,300 12,100 19,790 19,110 
			 2007-08 12,620 20,410 16,610 12,270 20,410 19,950 
			 2008-09 13,010 21,040 16,790 12,350 20,840 20,500 
			 2009-10 13,400 21,680 17,100 12,570 21,220 21,170 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five up to 2004-05 and from 2006-07 onwards to the nearest 10. 2. Figures for 2009-10 are based on May 2010 parliamentary constituency boundaries. 3. Household figures for 2005-06 have been withdrawn pending a review of the figures. The revised figures will be placed in the Commons Library shortly. 4. Household figures are not available prior to 2002-03. 5. The latest figures for winter fuel payments are published at: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wfp  Source: IFD Information Centre, 100% sample

Work Capability Assessment

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure Atos Healthcare has in place champions with additional expertise in mental, cognitive and intellectual conditions, as recommended by the Harrington Review of the work capability assessment; and when he expects such champions to be in place.

Chris Grayling: We are committed to taking forward the review's recommendations so that we can make the system fairer and more effective. We are working to improve the awareness and capability of both Atos health care professionals regarding mental health issues, introducing mental, cognitive and intellectual 'champions' into assessment centres to improve the assessment of these functions.
	Champions are already in place in the incapacity benefits reassessment trial areas of Burnley and Aberdeen. We are working with Atos Healthcare to ensure that champions will start to be in place more widely in time for the national roll-out of the incapacity benefits reassessment programme.

Work Capability Assessment

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether Atos Healthcare is subject to a financial penalty in the event that a claimant is found to have been incorrectly deemed fit for work following an appeal.

Chris Grayling: In the event that a customer is found to have been incorrectly deemed fit for work following an appeal, Atos Healthcare is not subject to a financial penalty. The decision of fitness for work is made by the DWP Decision Maker.
	In addition to the examining Healthcare Professional's report, the Decision Maker will take account of all available evidence. This evidence will often include a report from the certifying General Practitioner, as well as the customer's own responses on the Benefit questionnaire.
	When the customer makes an appeal, an independent tribunal panel decides whether the Decision Maker's determination is correct. The Appeal Tribunal will consider all the evidence afresh, as well as any additional evidence that has since been submitted by the customer, and which was not available originally to the Decision Maker. The examination report therefore will be only one of the factors before the Tribunal.
	Consequently, the presumption cannot be made that, when a Tribunal overturns a decision, it was due to short-comings in the examination report used in the decision making process.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Squatting

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many buildings on her Department's estate were occupied by squatters in each year between 2006 and 2010; and on how many occasions her Department sought interim possession orders to remove squatters from such buildings in each of those years.

Richard Benyon: None.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Earthquakes: Japan

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects the Chief Nuclear Inspector to complete his report on the implications of the recent situation in Japan and the lessons to be learned.

Charles Hendry: In the light of the events in Japan the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has called on the Chief Nuclear Inspector, Dr. Mike Weightman for a thorough report on the implications of the situation in Japan and the lessons to be learned. This will be prepared in close co-operation internationally with other nuclear regulators, with an interim report in May and a final report within six months.
	It is essential that we understand the full facts and their implications, both for existing nuclear reactors and any new programme, as safety is always our primary concern.

EU Energy Policy

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what  (a) matters were discussed and  (b) decisions were taken at the special meeting of EU member state energy ministers, nuclear safety regulators and operators and vendors of nuclear power plants convened by the European Energy Commissioner on 15 March 2011 in Brussels.

Charles Hendry: At the EU meeting in Brussels there was a general consensus that a measure to "stress test" European Union nuclear power stations would be sensible and prudent. Work still needs to be done in collaboration with member states to formulate the exact nature of this "stress test".
	The UK supports a process to "stress test" its nuclear installations through establishing the lessons to be learned from the events in Japan, establishing any areas for improvement and ensuring the changes are implemented.

Nuclear Power Stations: Emergencies

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess the adequacy of plans for UK nuclear power plants to respond to a natural disaster.

Charles Hendry: The operators of nuclear power plants in the UK are required to put in place adequate arrangements and demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, the industry safety regulator, the safety of activities on their sites. This involves complying with the rigorous conditions of their nuclear site licence and other relevant safety regulation. That includes the legal requirement to have detailed emergency plans which would be put into effect for serious accidents.
	In the light of the events in Japan the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has called on the Chief Nuclear Inspector, Dr. Mike Weightman for a thorough report on the implications of the situation in Japan and the lessons to be learned. This will be prepared in close co-operation internationally with other nuclear regulators, with an interim report in May and a final report within six months.
	It is essential that we understand the full facts and their implications, both for existing nuclear reactors and any new programme, as safety is always our primary concern.

Nuclear Power Stations: Emergencies

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has assessed the likelihood of the occurrence of  (a) an 8.9 Richter scale earthquake and  (b) a subsequent tsunami in proximity of any UK nuclear power installation; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The Government takes the incident in Japan extremely seriously, A range of natural external hazards, including seismic activity are defined and accounted for in the safety case for all nuclear installations. However, there is no evidence to expect a similar scale earthquake and associated tsunami in the UK. The earthquake in Japan was 65,000 greater than the largest earthquake which has occurred in the UK.
	In the light of the events in Japan my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has called on the Chief Nuclear Inspector, Dr. Mike Weightman for a thorough report on the implications of the situation in Japan and the lessons to be learned. This will be prepared in close cooperation internationally with other nuclear regulators, with an interim report in May and a final report within six months.
	It is essential that we understand the full facts and their implications, both for existing nuclear reactors and any new programme, as safety is always our primary concern.

Nuclear Power Stations: Safety

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has requested the chief nuclear safety inspector to conduct a review of the measures in place to mitigate a loss of coolant accident, in respect of  (a) operating and  (b) planned nuclear power plants in the UK; and what advice he has sought on the implications for the UK nuclear power programme of the nuclear accidents in Japan.

Charles Hendry: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has asked the Chief Nuclear Inspector, Dr Mike Weightman, to provide a report to the Government on the implications of the unprecedented events in Japan and the lessons to be learned for the UK nuclear industry.
	He has asked for an interim report by mid May 2011 and a final report within six months. The reports will be shared widely and made public.
	The detailed scope of Dr Weightman's report will be confirmed as information from Japan becomes clearer. The report will be conducted in close co-operation with the international nuclear community including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Japanese authorities and other regulators to carefully establish the lessons to be learned and will include existing nuclear installations in the UK and the proposed new reactor programme.

Wind Power: Manufacturing Industries

Phillip Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will consider the merits of proposals to  (a) consolidate and  (b) license potential port sites for support for wind farm construction to wind farm contractors for use as staging areas for the construction, installation and operation of wind farms.

Charles Hendry: The development of the offshore wind sector has significant potential for employment and economic growth at UK coastal locations, and the Department has committed up to £60 million to support offshore wind manufacturing infrastructure at port sites, to meet the needs of offshore wind manufacturers looking to locate new facilities in England.
	However it is for manufacturers, developers and operators, not Government, to decide where the best locations for their activities are from a business perspective.

TREASURY

Bank Services: Fees and Charges

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to prevent excessive bank and financial transaction charges on unauthorised overdrafts.

Mark Hoban: The Government have committed in the coalition agreement to introduce stronger consumer protections including measures to end unfair bank and financial transaction charges. This commitment is being taken forward as part of the joint Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and HM Treasury Consumer Credit and Personal Insolvency Review. Following a call for evidence, the Government are now considering the available evidence and will come forwards with specific proposals in due course.

Departmental Business Plans

Stella Creasy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Secretaries of State the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has met to discuss  (a) implementation of the departmental business plans and  (b) instances when actions stated in such plans as due for completion have not been completed by the due date since November 2010; and on what date each such meeting took place.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 10 March 2011
	 I will meet Secretaries of State with the Minister for Government Policy, the right hon. Member for West Dorset (Mr Letwin), on a quarterly basis to discuss business plans. The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and I meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues, including business plans.

Departmental Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which public bodies sponsored by his Department  (a) have been and  (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following his appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence.

Mark Hoban: The coalition Government are committed to increasing the accountability of public bodies, and this involves reducing their number and their cost to the taxpayer. The proposals for the majority of bodies across all Departments was announced and published on 14 October 2010. An updated list reflecting changes since October 2010 has been published on the Cabinet Office website this month. In addition, the Government are consulting on plans to put in place successor arrangements for the Financial Services Authority as part of a new approach to financial regulation. The consultation may be found on the Treasury website.
	Summary information on public appointments is published annually by the Cabinet Office. This includes data on gender. Copies of the most recent report can be downloaded from:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/ndpb

Devolution

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of  (a) Scottish and  (b) Welsh devolution in each year since 1999; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: There has been no cost to the UK Government. It is an accepted principle that the devolved administrations meet all the costs associated with devolution from within their existing budgets.

Devolution: Scotland

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much funding of each type the Exchequer has allocated to Scotland in each year since 1999.

Danny Alexander: The Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) publishes allocated budgets to the devolved Administrations. The latest data from PESA 2010 from financial years 2004-05 to 2014-15 are set out in the following table. Earlier data for years prior to 2004-05 are published in earlier editions of PESA though not necessarily on a fully consistent basis.
	
		
			  Outturn years 
			  £ million 
			  Budget type  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11  2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15 
			 Resource 18,987 20,405 21,945 23,344 24,090 25,132 25,698 25,401 25,787 26,011 26,166 
			 Capital 2,171 2,390 3,030 3,563 3,333 3,927 3,239 2,507 2,475 2,237 2,318 
			  Source data: Years 2004-05 to 2010-11, PESA 2010, tables 1.3 and 1.6 Years 2011-12 to 2014-15, 2010 Spending Review document, tables 1 and 2.

Financial Services

Nick Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what timetable he has set for the proposed legislation to establish arrangements for the body to succeed the Financial Services Authority.

Mark Hoban: The Government will publish a White Paper later in the spring that will include a draft Bill for parliamentary pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS). The Government expect that the Bill will be formally introduced to Parliament in mid-2011 and will receive Royal Assent in mid-2012, although the timetabling of PLS and legislation is a matter for Parliament.

Financial Services

Nick Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to publish his response to his Department's consultation on financial regulation.

Mark Hoban: The Government published a summary of responses to their initial consultation on financial regulation in November 2010.
	The Government will publish a White Paper later in the spring that will include their response to the further consultation ("A new approach to financial regulation: building a stronger system") launched in February.

Financial Services: Pay

Edward Balls: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to secure European agreement on implementing rules on transparency in the payment of bonuses over £1 million in the financial services sector.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 10 February 2011
	 The Chancellor has called on counterparts in the European Union to urgently consider proposals to strengthen remuneration disclosure. While there is a range of views among the international community, there is support for an internationally consistent approach to remuneration disclosure.
	Remuneration disclosure continues to be discussed as part of the Government's dialogue with other jurisdictions and we continue to argue for proposals to strengthen remuneration disclosure, including of executive pay in the financial services sector.
	As a result of the Government's domestic negotiations, the four largest UK banks have committed that the total remuneration paid in 2010 will be lower than it was in 2009, and lower than it would have been otherwise. The Remuneration Committee Chair of each bank will write to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to confirm that the commitment has been met. These banks have also committed to world-leading pay disclosure arrangements which, when taken together with the FSA's sector wide regime, make the UK's disclosure arrangements the toughest of any major financial centre.

First-time Buyers: Government Assistance

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on assistance for first-time buyers; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with the previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such discussions.

Horse Racing: Betting

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made an estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of the decision by Betfair to relocate offshore.

Mark Hoban: HM Revenue and Customs are not able to publish individual taxpayers' information due to taxpayer confidentiality.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Tax Credit Office, Preston plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 14 February 2010 on a constituent, ref. 2011/02 001420.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs replied to the hon. Member's letter of 14 February 2011 on 25 February 2011.

NHS: Redundancy Pay

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many NHS foundation trusts reported at least one special severance payment form examination to his Department in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2011,  Official Report, column 961W, on NHS: redundancy pay, what were the 10 highest value special severance payments examined by his Department regarding NHS foundation trusts in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many special severance payments were examined by his Department regarding NHS foundation trusts in the last year for which figures are available.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 17 March 2011
	The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Squatting

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many buildings on his Department's estate were occupied by squatters in each year between 2006 and 2010; and on how many occasions his Department sought interim possession orders to remove squatters from such buildings in each of those years.

Mark Hoban: There have not been any cases of squatters occupying the buildings on the Department's estate between 2006 and 2010.

Taxation: Financial Services

Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax was paid on profits by private equity firms in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 28 February 2011
	 HM Revenue and Customs do not currently publish statistics of tax paid on profits by private equity firms. Historical financial sector corporation tax receipts, which will include private equity firms, are published regularly in Table 11.1 on the HMRC National Statistics website. The latest update is available here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/table11_1.pdf